The second day of Elizabeth's debriefing ended in a exhausted haze. Daniel followed her from the conference room, seeing the expression on every face. Woolsey clearly weighed the choices before him, torn between his desire to do what was best for Atlantis and his desire to follow the IOA rulebook. Sheppard wanted to help his former commander but mistrusted what she had become. Teyla—who had taken part that day—had guarded her features, but Daniel saw the longing for a close connection with another human being in the depths of her eyes. Carson watched over Elizabeth with a doctor's carefulness, but he, too, was conflicted.

Elizabeth quietly told Daniel that she needed some time alone and sent him on his way. He watched her walk away, her head held high as she entered her guest quarters and regally disregarded the two security officers assigned to her. The curtains over the glass doors hid specifics of her rooms from his point of view, but he watched her shadowy figure wander to a window and halt there. Shoving his hands into his pockets, he lowered his gaze to the deck beneath his feet as he walked. It was a pose familiar to many on Earth as he allowed his mind to work through the different options facing him. Tonight, he also needed time to absorb recent events.

In the Archaeology department, Daniel entered his office and looked around. It had glass walls that allowed him to stare out over the archaeology labs and watch his team work. The room was larger than his office on Earth, and his possessions had been stacked in the corners as they waited for him to unpack. Daniel had put off setting up this room until after his travels with Carson. Since he no longer had that to look forward to, he figured he might as well work until he dropped from exhaustion.

First, he needed to find a place for all of his books. He'd brought every single one with him, not willing to risk leaving a necessary resource behind on Earth. Since Atlantis had the full backing of the IOA, their crew was much larger and more rounded, letting the scientific research have equal importance as the military contingent. Daniel understood the need for both sides of the Expedition and gratefully accepted his role in it. He wasn't a soldier, but he wasn't just a scientist either. He fell somewhere in the middle, his years on SG-1 earning him a warrior's respect from the military and a nerve-wracking adoration from the scientists. He'd come a long way since returning from Abydos.

Several hours passed quietly as Daniel put together new shelves and organized his books. He still had boxes of artifacts, things he'd brought to help his office feel a bit more like home. A curtain rod now held elegant drapes that would cover the glass walls in his office, giving him the option of closing out the world completely. Seeing his journals lined up by year on one of the bookshelves brought him a measure of comfort. He touched their spines, smiling as he remembered missions through the gate, good-natured arguments with Jack, meditating with Teal'c, working with Sam, glaring at Vala, and listening to Mitchell try to reform SG-1. They'd been good years, his friendships bound by the excruciating losses they'd all experienced. He'd lost his wife, his brother-in-law, his father-in-law, his home on Abydos, and many other friends and colleagues. Sam had watched men she loved die, had seen her father's surrender to death, and had endured a year where Daniel, himself, was no longer technically among the living. Teal'c. . . .Out of all of them, Teal'c had likely sacrificed the most. He had rebelled, been labeled a shol'va, had seen his son manipulated, his wife give her life for what she believed, another woman he loved murdered, the Jaffa betray him, and yet had continued the fight. Mitchell nearly lost his career and his life. Jack had been right next to Daniel for most of those losses, fighting the same fight. And Vala had once been host to a Goa'uld. Yet, in spite of the horrors they'd faced, those years were some of the best he'd lived. Why? Because he had a group of people that accepted him for who and what he was. In the end, that mattered more than anything.

His mind heavy with memories, Daniel left the office around midnight as he felt the weight of recent events pressing on his shoulders. Figuring he'd get some sleep, he again strolled toward the main portion of the city. A window allowed him a glimpse of a balcony, however, and what he saw there changed his mind. Turning from his intended path, he found the door guarded by two security officers and nodded them away. Their respect for him made them nod as they moved further down the hallway.

With his hands still in his pockets, Daniel stepped onto the balcony. This planet's atmosphere gave the moon a yellowish tint. McKay could explain it in great detail, but Daniel didn't care. The resulting golden sunrises and vivid sunsets could do nothing to keep him from being unsettled by the eerie moon. At the edge of the balcony, elbows on a railing as she looked out over the glittering city, Elizabeth stood still as the ocean breeze blew through her hair. He moved to her side, not saying anything as he let his presence register.

She hung her head and stared at her tightly-clenched hands. "They don't know what to do with me."

And I don't know what to do with myself. Daniel's memory finished her statement. He'd said the exact same thing all those years ago when he returned from Abydos, desperate to find Sha're and bring her home. Back then, Hammond hadn't trusted him or Jack, and most of the military looked at him like the long-haired geek he was. Now, he felt a pang of loss as he thought about George Hammond. The man had taken the role of surrogate father for Daniel, and being at his funeral a little over a year ago still sent a shard of grief through him.

Elizabeth straightened and turned to face Daniel. "I'm sorry, Daniel. I just. . . ."

"I understand." Daniel met her eyes. "It's never easy to have your motives questioned by people who once trusted you."

She narrowed her eyes and tilted her head in acknowledgment of his words. "I forget that you have gone through the same thing."

"More than once." He smiled at her.

Her face fell again as thoughtfulness claimed her. "I can't help but think about those I left behind."

"The other Replicators?"

"Yes." She shook her head. "All they want to do is seek Ascension. I can't do that, not with Diem out there. But they should have more than the bare minimum they were given by the Soura."

"You have an idea."

"Yes." She shrugged. "The Sanctuary. John—Colonel Sheppard," she corrected herself after a pause, "and his team found it during their second year here. It is in a time dilation field, likely powered by a ZPM. Protected from the Wraith, self-sufficient, and escapable only by death or Ascension, it's the perfect place for them."

And for Atlantis to not have to worry about them, Daniel's mind added. He couldn't disagree with her. "You're going to suggest this tomorrow?"

"Yes," she said again. She turned quickly. "When we go to the others, will you come? I know you don't remember much about your time with the Ancients, but the fact that you've Ascended would put their minds at ease in a way I can't."

"I'd love to," Daniel agreed, more to satisfy his curiosity about the former Replicators than anything. He smiled when her lips turned upwards in relief. "You should get some rest."

Elizabeth nodded. "You're right." She let him motion her back into the hallway. "Thank you."

Daniel met her eyes, knowing she said it about more than just his time with her this evening. "You're welcome."

oOo

The mission to help the other former Replicators was a hard-won victory for Elizabeth. In the end, her desire to see her former comrades safe didn't tip the scales, but Daniel's quiet speech convinced the command staff. In one well-worded response, he appealed to Woolsey's desire to balance the IOA's demands with Atlantis's demands, Sheppard's need to keep the city and its population safe, and Carson's compassion. She quickly understood why he had been chosen for his role. His time at the SGC had molded him, defined him as a compassionate warrior who wasn't afraid to stand up for what was right. Even with his input, it still took another three days for Carson and Jennifer to release Elizabeth for off-world travel.

Now, standing in the gateroom and trying to avoid Ronon's intense gaze, Elizabeth watched as Daniel joined the rest of the group. He hurried toward them, the last to arrive, carrying his P90 in one hand and a heavy pack in the other. His glasses glinted with the afternoon sunlight, and he quickly apologized for being late. "I wanted to get some references together to leave behind," he explained.

Colonel Sheppard quickly turned and motioned for Chuck to dial the gate. Elizabeth stood with her hands clasped in front of her, watching the gate spin and remembering the times she'd stood where Woolsey now waited as good men and women stepped through the wormhole. Some of them had never returned while others, like Sheppard and his team, became legends in their own right. As soon as they left, Major Teldy's team, complete with Carson's girlfriend, would carry some supplies through to the Sanctuary, leaving them just outside the entrance for the former Replicators.

As the wormhole established, Elizabeth felt rather than saw Daniel step to her side. His nearness was comforting, but she struggled to hold on to her opinion of him. In the past, he'd been a scholar, a man who could advise her on the direction she needed to take, and a member of SG-1. Right now, she had a hard time distinguishing this competent, attractive man who handled a weapon with swift motions born of confidence from her memory of him. If she allowed herself to be honest, she would have admitted that she didn't want to separate the two. And that she was more than a little attracted to him.

"It's something, isn't it?" Daniel asked softly, his voice not far from her ear.

"Yes, it is," Elizabeth agreed. "You don't realize how much you miss it until it's gone."

"Oh, trust me, I know." He paused, waiting for her to proceed. Sheppard, McKay, and Teyla had already stepped through, but Elizabeth couldn't pull herself from this moment. Was she ready to break ties with the few people in the universe who understood her in order to help a group that didn't fully trust her? Even now, she sensed Ronon's stare and knew why the Satedan hadn't followed his friends through the gate. Unlike Daniel, he wasn't giving her time to absorb her impressions. He was waiting for her to make one wrong move just so he could pull the trigger. She knew because she remembered watching him with Michael.

Finally, she took a deep breath and forced her feet to move. The familiar feeling of the wormhole surrounded her, and she shook off the cold on the other side. Daniel stepped through shortly after, the event horizon releasing him just before it released Ronon. Elizabeth looked around, seeing the tense standoff that had already occurred. Sheppard, McKay, and Teyla had not raised their weapons, but their fingers weren't far from the triggers. The other group of people, those who had once trusted Elizabeth enough to follow her through the Spacegate, watched warily as she moved toward Sheppard. Elizabeth broke the tense silence. "Lia?"

The short-haired woman turned. "Elizabeth. You returned, and brought these?"

Elizabeth smiled, hearing the contempt and mistrust in the question. "Yes. I brought them to help you."

"Us?" Lia narrowed her eyes. "By killing us?"

Elizabeth opened her mouth to respond, but Daniel intervened. "No!" He moved from his place in the rear of the group, his hands raised in a placating manner, his weapon hanging from his TAC vest. "No, we're not here to kill you. We want to help you, to take you someplace where you can find what you want." He finished his promise with a friendly, somewhat ironic smile.

Lia turned her attention to Daniel. "And what do you know of what we want?"

"It's Ascension, right?" He glanced at Elizabeth. "You're seeking Ascension?"

Lia glared at Elizabeth. "You had no right to bring these here!"

Elizabeth moved to Daniel's side. "Perhaps not, Lia, but I had good reason. If anyone knows more about Ascension than Dr. Jackson, I have yet to find him."

Lia's eyes narrowed as she considered Daniel. "The last time we trusted those from Atlantis, they betrayed us." She moved toward him, prompting the tightening of hands on weapons and Daniel's own raised hand to warn off the trigger-happy team behind him. "Why should we trust you?"

"You shouldn't." Daniel's blanket statement surprised everyone. "Look, I know you don't know me, and I know you have no reason to trust anyone that I'm with. But we have a place for you to go: a place that's safe from the Wraith and where you can live your lives in pursuit of peace and Ascension without worrying about us ever coming after you again."

John chose that moment to speak up. He moved carefully to Daniel's side, his weapon lowered even though his tension was evident in his stance. "Uh. . .listen, we didn't exactly get off on the right foot, but you should know I lived with the people in this place for six months. They ascended after spending their lives there, and they left the place intact for those who want to follow the path. Teer, the woman who helped me, wanted it that way. While you may not trust us, we really do want to help you this time."

His words clearly got through to Lia. She lowered her gaze for a moment and then turned to Elizabeth. "And what of you?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "I don't belong with you, Lia. You know that. Perhaps, one day, I'll find a way to Ascend. But, now that I know Diem's out there and threatening those I care about, I can't leave them to fight the battle alone."

Lia's head dipped in acknowledgment. "Stay here," she said to the group at large. "I will discuss this with the others, and we will make our decision." She turned and led her people away before anyone could say anything.

Elizabeth let out the breath she'd been holding. Beside her, Daniel dropped his head in a move meant to hide his frustration. The situation would have dissolved into a shooting fest if not for his quick intervention and appeal to what the former Replicators desired more than anything else. After another long moment, he turned and glared at Sheppard, his message clear even though he didn't say anything. Elizabeth let him stalk a few paces away and found a spot nearby to sit. To her surprise, Teyla joined her.

"You are doing the right thing," Teyla said softly.

"Maybe." Elizabeth let her eyes roam over the small group of people with her. "But how am I to help anyone if only one person trusts me?"

Teyla didn't answer, her eyes lowered. She didn't fidget, but the desire to do so was written across her face. "Elizabeth, you must understand what we face. To us, you were. . . ." Her voice trailed off.

"I was dead."

"Yes." Teyla looked up and met her eyes. "Beyond that, you were the enemy. While you personally never tried to harm any of us, we could not let the threat of what might happen be forgotten. That will be difficult for some to overcome."

Elizabeth watched Ronon pace, the Satedan's irritation evident for all to see. "Some more than others."

Teyla followed her gaze. "Yes. Though, for what it is worth, Ronon also struggled to accept Carson when he returned to us."

Elizabeth's gaze moved, letting Ronon have his thoughts as she settled her attention on Dr. Daniel Jackson. The archaeologist sat with his back to the gate, propped up on his pack as he patiently waited. He looked bored, his knees pulled up and his arms draped over them. But the way his fingers tapped the air betrayed his tension. He was a diplomat and would never allow himself to appear weak or impatient, but he was also human. Elizabeth frowned, wondering when she had come to know Daniel so well.

Teyla shifted next to her. "Your attention is turned elsewhere, I see," she said with a smile. When Elizabeth dropped her eyes to her lap, she continued, "I am happy for you, Elizabeth. No matter what happens, Dr. Jackson is a good man. He seems to understand."

"He does understand." Elizabeth turned to her friend. "What about you and Kanaan? Are things going well for you?"

The heartbreak that covered Teyla's face made Elizabeth's heart sink. "No," the Athosian said quietly. "Kanaan. . . ." Her voice broke, and she swallowed suddenly. "He chose someone else."

Elizabeth didn't say anything else. She wished she hadn't asked Teyla about personal matters and simply touched her friend's shoulder. Thankfully, Sheppard hadn't noticed the move, though Ronon did. Elizabeth could ignore the Satedan, but she doubted she'd be able to hold on to her shredded dignity if John began treating her with the same level of animosity.

Lia finally returned with the entire group of former Replicators, their meager belongings over their shoulders in makeshift packs. Daniel scrambled to his feet as she approached him. "We have decided," she said softly. "We will go with you to this world you have told us about."

Daniel nodded, a genuine smile coming to his face. "Good. I'm glad," he said softly. Turning to dial the gate, he waited for Lia to join him. "It's called the Sanctuary."

oOo

John followed the former Replicators through the wormhole, amazed at Jackson's ability to put aside his mistrust to lead these people. He and Elizabeth had placed their backs to the group that had almost compromised Atlantis and, without so much as a backward glance, walked into the event horizon. Sharing a glance with Ronon and McKay, John allowed Teyla to precede him before he, too, stepped onto another world.

Daniel and Lia spoke as they walked toward the Sanctuary, but John's mind was far from current events. It had been four years since he'd been here, and he still had not forgotten the six months he spent with Teer and the others. Fighting that beast, finding out the beast was nothing more than a manifestation of their fears, and then watching the group ascend. . .That was more up Jackson's alley than Sheppard's. John was a soldier, and he couldn't sit quietly by while the Wraith decimated human populations. According to what he knew about Jackson, the archaeologist had been faced with a similar choice.

The hike to the entrance of the Sanctuary was long, and McKay began to grumble a bit. Ronon growled at him, prompting a brief argument between the two caused by Ronon's tension over Elizabeth's presence, but John noticed that Teyla was silent. He fell into step with her and glanced her direction. "You okay?"

"Yes." Teyla smiled up at him, her eyes on Elizabeth's back. "She truly is Elizabeth."

"Yeah." John didn't want to think about the ramifications ahead for Atlantis.

Teyla hesitated slightly before speaking. "Once her debriefing is over, what will become of her?"

"I don't know," John admitted. "Normally, she'd be sent back to Earth, but that doesn't really apply in this situation. I know Jackson would argue against it since sending her back to Earth would mean sending her to prison."

"Why? What she did was born from the need to survive, not any malicious intent. And she gave her life to save you, Rodney, and Ronon years ago."

"Yeah, I know." John sighed. "Teyla, what do you want me to do? I've got Woolsey breathing down my neck to figure this out, and I've got Jackson glaring at me if I so much as suggest sending Elizabeth away. I know he thinks sending her back to Earth is wrong, but. . . ."

Teyla put a hand on his arm. "You will make the right decision, John. I am certain of it." She walked on down the path, leaving John to wish he had her confidence.

By the time they reached the entrance of the Sanctuary, Jackson was in full lecture mode, relating this tidbit and that fact about Ascension. The former Replicators hung on his every word, absorbing everything he said as if it were the gospel truth. Sheppard saw Elizabeth's proud smile as she also listened to Jackson's instructions. The supplies Teldy had agreed to bring had already been situated near the entrance, and the plant growth that hid the entrance was pulled away. As he watched the byplay between Elizabeth and Jackson, Sheppard suddenly realized that yet another woman had fallen under the archaeologist's spell.

Turning away, he froze when he heard Lia's question. "How do you know so much about Ascension, Dr. Jackson?"

Sheppard waited for the answer, seeing the curiosity reflected in the faces around them.

"Uh, yeah." Jackson sounded embarrassed. "I used to be Ascended."

A low murmur swept through those gathered, straightening Teyla's spine in the process. Confusion covered Lia's face. "Why did you not stay with them?"

"Uh. . . ." Jackson struggled for words. "My people were threatened, as was the rest of the galaxy. I couldn't just not interfere."

"I see." Lia fell silent for a long moment. "Thank you, Dr. Jackson. And, Colonel Sheppard, thank you for your eventual faith in us to bring us here."

John sent an insincere smile her way. "You're welcome."

Jackson pulled a leather-bound book from his pack and offered it to Lia. "Look, this is as much of the research into Ascension as I could record in the last few days. I would have put it on a computer, but. . . ."

Lia accepted the book, holding it almost reverently. "Thank you. If you ever decide to pursue Ascension again, you will be welcome amongst us." She turned slightly. "As will you, Elizabeth."

Jackson nodded, his head down. "I appreciate that," he said softly. "But, right now, I don't know if I'll ever ascend again."

John stood to one side, watching as the former Replicators pushed their way through the portal one at a time. He remembered the pain, the time distortion, and how hard it was to move once he reached the other side. But, for these people, it was clearly worth the risk. When the last one disappeared along with the supplies, John met Elizabeth's eyes. "You ready to head home?"

She gave the dark opening one final glance before exchanging a smile with Jackson. "Yes, John, I am."

The walk back to the Stargate was quiet, but John felt the tension around him slowly unwind as, one by one, his team accepted Elizabeth's place with them. He sent another glance toward Teyla and saw her placid features. One struggle down, umpteen more to go, he thought. Elizabeth's return, while welcome, had created an entirely new set of struggles. And John hoped his people were up to meeting them.

~TBC

Author's Note: I realize the episode "Epiphany" seems to indicate a space gate rather than planetary one. I hope you'll forgive my creative license with that aspect so that I could resolve one problem for our heroes. As always, hope you enjoyed the chapter. ~lg