AN: Here's the epilogue I promised, I decided to put this up before I began the other story, but that one will be up in a couple days now that I have this up. I promise. I've already started on it.

Epilogue

Coming out of a stasis pod is an arduous task Carson realized, he was weak and tired though he had been sleeping for two months he found out it was wonderful catching up with all his old friends. He discovered Teyla was back and that she had the baby which he insisted on seeing the moment he was awake. She bought him by a little later that evening when he was having dinner with John, Rodney and Ronon. His response was then to give a squeal and as Rodney put it 'give meaningless Scottish gibberish'.

Before Keller had turned in for the night before dinner she told him to rest and take it easy, but the very next day he found himself restless and having the urge to get up and explore Atlantis once again. He suspected she didn't like him up and about so soon but she didn't say anything, or rather, she couldn't. When he woke up that morning after Rodney had found him on one of the balconies Teyla has called him, asking Rodney to come and hack into Jennifer's door, of course those weren't the exact words she used.

However when they got there they found her covered in tendrils of some sort, just another day on Atlantis. Carson immediately recalled what he had gone through with Michael and a situation similar to this one. He still found it rather disturbing he had two sets of memories but he was beginning to adjust to it.

However in the end they solved the problem as always and Jennifer was back with them once again. It wasn't until it was all over it hit Carson he would be returning to Earth, he wanted to, he wanted to go find his mother, his brothers and sisters and tell them he was s till alive. That he was still here, there was a mistake... but not for good. Atlantis was his home, he had accepted that, going back to Earth possibly for good would just be strange.

John was next to remember what would be happening to him and he wasn't going to stand it. The tall man was still in the infirmary but he wasn't gonna let Carson leave just like that, they had just got him back after all. So when he managed to get to talk to Woolsey one on one he bought the issue up.

"I know he'll be going back regardless, he had matters to settle back home." John said in a rough voice, he still wasn't nearly healed yet. "But does he have to stay on Earth? I mean, we could use him around Atlantis."

"His position has been filled by Dr. Keller, I'm sorry, Color Sheppard but there isn't a place for him here anymore. He's technically not a member of this expedition anymore – "

"Ah, wait, he never did die, or part of him never did. He just sorta hung around as an astral person or whatever for a little while, it was more like he was on leave." John said with a grin.

"His old position has been filled and with his condition – "

John once again didn't let him finish. "Which can be easily fixed and so far its not much of a problem, give him a shot once a week, not a big deal. However I get that Jennifer has his position, that's fine but you know, in the past Carson has made quite a few house calls off world."

"What are you suggesting, Colonel?"

"We could use a medical man on my team, Carson's proven himself in the field before." John said drawing out the last word and scratching the back of his neck.

"Dr. Beckett would not be a suitable member of your team," Woolsey shook his head and though John held more respect for him now then he did in the beginning of this whole thing he still didn't care for him too much. "He's a doctor, he has no field training, no weaponry, I'm not sure I'd trust him going off world that often."

"And Rodney is a suitable member? As I recall he's a doctor too, just not the kind that helps people… he got some basic training and bam he's good to go, Carson's been off world a number of times already and I would trust him and I know everyone else would."

Woolsey sighed and gave a small nod. "If Dr. Beckett can go through the basic training to make him suitable for the field I don't see any reason he shouldn't accompany you and your team, he is a talented doctor, I would hate to see him leave if he didn't have to. However he has to be cleared and he still has to return to Earth."

"I know, I know," John waved him off. "It'll be a few months before he could come but if he completes everything he has to he can, right?"

"If he completes everything he has to and if he wants to." He added.

"Yeah, yeah if he wants to. When does he have to go back to Earth again?"

"He's scheduled to leave tomorrow at three."

"Well, then, better tell him before he leaves."

Woolsey nodded. "I'll go tell him now," he said turning to the door.

"Ah, wait," John said with a smirk. "Before you do that I think there's something you have to tell me. You're preliminary report, how did that go again?" He asked knowing Woolsey's superiors had to of done one by now.

Woolsey turned again and slowly headed back to the bed ready to admit to Sheppard his ultimate defeat and confess his feelings of the job he currently found himself in.

Some hours later it was nearing dinner time once again, Rodney had just received the news that Carson could possibly be part of the team and was ecstatic about it. He was heading to the mess hall to find Carson now, he knew he'd be there picking up John or Ronon a decent dinner, the two had been in the infirmary enough when he was CMO what they liked and what they didn't.

When Rodney entered the mess hall he saw Carson in the line taking some jello and talking to Teyla who has a smile on her face. He ran up to them and skidded to a stop in front of them.

"You're going to be on the team? Why didn't you tell me that's amazing." Rodney half yelled a little angry at him and half couldn't contain his excitement.

Carson smiled lightly. "I still haven't made my decision."

"Oh come on, it'll be fun." Rodney pushed as he grabbed a tray of his own.

"Now, now, Rodney." Teyla interjected taking a second tray for Ronon as they began to leave the mess hall and make their way to the infirmary. "This is Carson's decision, I do not think it is fair to him for you to push the matter."

"I agree with Teyla." Carson grinned, it'd be nice to live in Atlantis again and be a member of the team but actually as a team member and going off world was foreign to him, he was a doctor, he belonged in the infirmary.

"Well of course you do." Rodney mumbled. "I'm just saying, it'd be nice to have you around again, that's all."

"Well thank ya for that, Rodney."

"He will be leaving tomorrow for Earth," Teyla pointed out. "He will have plenty of time to think it over."

"Aye, I will, I'll have almost two months."

"Two months?" Rodney complained. "Come on, by the time you get back we won't even be a team anymore we'll all be retired and old."

"It's only two months." Carson protested.

"But you were already in stasis for two months and then before that you had that whole thing and now two more months? Besides that basic training'll take a little while but that can all be done here."

"Rodney, you're beginnin' ta babble." Carson warned. "But even if I don't take the offer ta be on the team I've been thinkin' I could go stay off world maybe do somethin' about the Hoffan Plague, I was talkin' ta Teyla about it earlier."

"I think it would be a fantastic idea." She said.

Rodney grumbled as they entered the infirmary.

"Do you hear this?" Rodney cried as he entered the infirmary, seeing John and Ronon almost immediately.

Ronon still couldn't speak, not that he would have anyway, so he just raised a quizzical eyebrow. John on the other hand could speak very well and decided to ask Rodney what had his panties in a twist, and that's exactly how he worded it.

"Carson's thinking about not joining the team." He explained.

"Well, it's his decision, he can if he wants and he can't if he wants. No big deal, I just think he'd be an asset, I mean we get beat up off world enough… and on world apparently." He looked at Ronon and himself.

"Thank ye, John." Carson said taking a seat and handing John his meal as Teyla handed hers to Ronon who gave a curt nod as thanks. "And I'm still thinkin' about it, there's a chance I will and a chance I won't, you'll just have ta wait."

Rodney moaned and leaned back on a neighboring bed, he hated waiting.

As the friends slowly drifted off the topic of whether Carson would stay or not the Scot pondered his fate. He would miss this place, staying with them in the infirmary when they got injured, or vice versa. Over the years of knowing them like he did he had gotten close with everyone and really they were his best friends.

By the time their meal was over it was decided in his mind, he'd go for the field training, it wasn't hard, Rodney completed it in no time and if Rodney could he was certain he could. Besides, he'd gone off world before, he'd done things on this expedition he never thought he'd ever do or ever could do. Being in the field isn't so bad once you get used to it, and since he'd been there several times already he was already accustomed to the various situations they could get themselves in. Though he wouldn't tell Rodney just yet, no, he sort of enjoyed seeing him squirm. Call it payback for the sheepherder jokes and being a bad patient whenever he appeared in the infirmary.

Now that he was sure of his future on Atlantis all he had to do was go home and talk to his mother, tell her he was alive after all this time. That would be quite a blow, but he wouldn't worry about that just yet.