Stargate Atlantis
Different Priorities
Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone related to Stargate Atlantis
Pairing: Friendship story with the team together with Weir, Beckett, Keller, Carter
Spoilers: Heavy on season 4 and some speculation about the next season.
Explanation: This story takes place in two parallel realities with 5 chapters each.
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The universe has many layers. Every action you take creates a diversity that makes your life different from what could have been. This is our reality.
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Keller and Carter waited for them as Teyla gently guided Elizabeth through the gate. The sensation of coming home was somewhat overwhelming. Elizabeth saw faces that she couldn't place or remember. She saw faces of joy and faces of sadness caused by the constant battle for survival. The gate room was bigger than she remembered it to be.
"Doctor Weir?" Colonel Carter acknowledged.
Elizabeth looked at the woman in front of her. "I am sorry, Colonel Carter is it?
The woman smiled slightly at her question. She was probably feeling as awkward as Elizabeth herself did.
"Welcome home Elizabeth." A smaller woman said while taking a step forward.
The former expedition leader recognized her as Doctor Keller. She had taken over after Carson had…She swallowed trying to think about something else. She wasn't ready for those feelings of despair to surface again.
"Please Elizabeth come this way." Keller said gently.
When Teyla had radioed to Atlantis telling them Doctor Weir was coming back with them Jennifer had tried to dampen her feelings of hope. Perhaps it was another trick; there was no telling if it really was their Doctor Weir even if the latest events pointed in that direction.
Her doubts faded for every second the woman stood before her.
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Darkness, nothing but darkness surrounded him. Suddenly he didn't want to be there anymore. Something, he couldn't pinpoint it, caused him pain. He thought he heard voices but he couldn't be sure. Someone took his hand.
"John?" The voice sent a chill down his spine. There was no question who the voice belonged to.
"Open your eyes; it is all going to be all right." The voice said encouraging.
He pretended to sleep and shut his mind from his surroundings as if he could will himself to be somewhere else. He didn't want to face Oberoth and the others again. Instead of being surrounded by Replicators he found himself in the infirmary on Atlantis.
The woman smiled at him, still holding his hand. "John it's me Elizabeth."
"Yeah." He croaked out while planning his escape. He had to get away from there.
She gently lifted his head and helped him zip some water. His throat still felt sore but it was much better than before.
"I have to congratulate you. Either this is an illusion of my mind or you have actually managed to get your hands on Atlantis." His voice was cold and harsh.
Elizabeth's smile vanished to be replaced by sadness. "You still think I am a Replicator?" She asked.
Before he could reply Keller walked in. "I thought I heard voices." She looked sternly at Doctor Weir.
"I was on my way to tell you. She said sheepishly.
Keller turned her attention back to Sheppard. "How are you feeling Colonel?"
"I suppose you won't take fine for an answer?" He tried innocently.
"No." She returned smiling ruefully at him.
"It hurts in my chest."
She looked up from the monitor beside him. "I am not surprised. You have just been taken off the ventilator."
John tried to blink away his tiredness. If this was a trick he needed to stay alert.
Keller pointed a finger at his wound. "That bullet nearly killed you. Don't take this the wrong way but how do you do it?"
"Survive? Well I seem to have a good Doctor." He said a weak smile on his lips easing up a little.
Jennifer returned the smile. "That's not going to get you out of here any faster." She watched him carefully for a second, his attention back on Doctor Weir.
"She is real John. It's really Elizabeth." Jennifer said reassuringly before looking at Elizabeth. "Five minutes." Doctor Weir nodded.
John looked at her wearily. "Elizabeth I am sorry."
"Don't be I am not blaming you. If anyone should be sorry it should be me." She said squeezing his hand.
"When I was taken over by the Replicators I didn't know what was real and what wasn't. I didn't trust anyone and it was because of that and your help I defeated them. You are right not to trust anyone threatening you." She sighed putting his hand down.
"Rest and take care of yourself I will come back."
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"Doctor Weir." Two marines acknowledged respectfully as she passed in the corridor.
She hated not being able to recall all her memories at once. Keller had said that such things normally took time. However being in a familiar environment would help. Since her injuries had been so severe she had no idea how much of her memory that could actually be restored when the nanites had left. Life on Atlantis was mostly remembered but earth...
"Ah Elizabeth there you are." Rodney said beaming.
She couldn't help but smile at him. "Yes Rodney here I am."
"You have to admit that my plan was ingenious."
She looked at him blankly.
He snapped his fingers. "You know the one taking out all the Replicators. I actually saved your life without even knowing it." He said excitingly.
"Well thank you Rodney you make me feel very special." She replied sarcastically.
"What oh no no that's not how I meant."
Elizabeth smiled at him. "Thanks Rodney, it's good to be back."
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She hadn't been in the infirmary visiting John very long before a very familiar Satedan grabbed a chair sitting down next to her.
"Ronon?" She questioned seeing him in scrubs. "What happened to you?" She asked worriedly.
He looked down at his arm. "Some of your...temporary friends." He said.
"Ronon I am so sorry."
"Don't be Elizabeth I am just glad you're back, the real you." He said sincerely.
She smiled. "I am glad to be back Ronon."
"Well I better head back before someone finds it I have left." He said glancing in the direction of Keller's office.
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Teyla had helped her to settle in again. She was given her old room back although her stuff had been removed some time ago.
"Don't worry about it Elizabeth I will fix things." Teyla said reassuringly.
"Teyla it's not necessary I am sure I can manage."
Teyla looked at her, her expression soft. "I am sure you can but I want to help. I am very pleased that you are back, we thought you where..." She trailed off.
"In a way I was."
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Elizabeth briskly walked the corridors to her office. It was a strange sensation seeing it redecorated and occupied by Colonel Carter. They had moved on without her, she wasn't angry she just felt out of place.
"Elizabeth please come in." Carter said.
An awkward moment followed as she headed for a visitor chair.
"Elizabeth I am not sure how you managed all this." Carter smiled indicating the piles of paper spread on her desk. "You have one heck of a job."
"I had, look Samantha, you are doing a great job here." Carter opened her mouth to reply but Elizabeth continued. "I...am not ready to take it back. I have lost so much; there is so much I don't know anymore."
Carter could hear the sadness and frustration in her voice. "You will have time to catch up on the reports." The Colonel reassured her.
Elizabeth smiled slightly. "I appreciate what you say but I need time, time to find myself. I will stay for a couple of weeks then I am heading back to earth."
"And after that?" Samantha asked softly.
"I'll take one step at a time."
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John looked at her bag smiling at her. "Are you sure you have everything?" He asked teasingly.
"Well I didn't exactly have time to grab my things before coming back here."
Ronon and Teyla met up with them outside her quarters. "Are you ready to leave?" Teyla asked.
Elizabeth nodded. Rodney came walking towards them. "I suppose all of you forgot to tell me the time for departure." He say annoyed.
"Actually if you had listened at breakfast." John said his face smug.
McKay pointed at the bag in Sheppard's hand. "Are you supposed to lift heavy stuff?" He said sarcastically.
Elizabeth bit her lip she had missed them so much, all of them.
Teyla placed a hand on her shoulder as they arrived at the gate. "Remember, we are not that far away."
"I will." She hugged them taking one last look around before walking into the event horizon.
John glanced up at Carter in the control room as the gate shut down. All of them had geared up. "PKX-MC-3?" He offered.
She nodded at them. "Be careful."
"We will." Teyla said.
John looked at his team. "Let's move out..." He glanced at McKay. "...and see what toys we can find for Rodney."
"Hey!"
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The end
Thanks to those who actually read this )
Special thanks to Sparklyshimmer2010 for being there…