Disclaimer: If you recognize it, I don't owe it.

Stretching the Truth

Adam checked on his machine that he built. He was trying to make something, using his Quickening, to prevent and de-age the Wraith bitten people. He almost had it finished. Of course it was something he'd been working on before he had left ten thousand years ago. Back then he'd been a technician without the required knowledge or power to create something like that. Now he knew everything he needed to, and he had the power to do it.

All he needed to do now, was combine the two.

Which, of course, was the hard part. Especially because he needed to make it work for anyone with the gene, and make Rodney believe that it was ten thousand years old and explain why the Ancients would have been defeated if they had such a thing.

At least no one would believe that he'd made it. He wasn't that brilliant. Or he could make pieces of it and give it to Rodney to 'fix'. Then he wouldn't be credited with anything.

"That's best." He sometimes spoke to himself when he was thinking, but this wasn't the best time to do so.

"What's best Dr Valorious?"

"Oh, Dr Weir." He hadn't felt her come in, which was no surprise, because she wasn't pre-Immortal. "Um, I was thinking about what to do with Colonel Sumner. I can't keep a nurse solely to take care of a ninety year old man."

"So then what are you going to do?" Adam really disliked blunt people. Kind of like Weir. She was pretty, right up until she opened her mouth.

"Well, I had thought about euthanasia, like he'd asked for," Weir was about to burst out in horror, but he continued as though she wasn't even there, "But then, I couldn't let the amount of experience he has go, so I was going to ask Halling to find two women to be Colonel Sumner's full time nurses."

Looking a bit more relaxed, Weir nodded, "That would be a good idea." Then she noticed the pieces of Atlantian machinery in his hands. "What's that?"

"I don't know. Was going to give it to Rodney to see if he could figure it out," Adam held up two pieces, "I'm smart, enough to know that it's in just over half a dozen pieces, and I think that I found them all. He can make it do what it was meant for."

"I see. How's Clarke doing?"

Ah yes. The marine with the ATA gene who managed to shoot himself in the foot with an Atlantian... gun.

"He'll be find in two weeks. Not much damage done internally, no severed tendons or broken bones. Just superficial burns and scrapes."

Weir cocked her head to the side and frowned, "I have a question, I don't mean to be rude," Adam resisted snorting in humour, "But why don't you use medical terms?"

"Because possibly the only person here besides me that would understand is Beckett, and he's to busy to translate to common English."

She looked insulted, "Dr Valorious, I have a Ph.D..."

"Do you speak Latin?"

The frown again, "No."

"Did you take any medical classes in University?"

"No."

"Then I don't see a reason to say the same thing twice, once in Latin, and once in English after you admit that you have no idea what the hell I'm saying."

Her face cleared, though she still looked put out, "I see." At least she was smart, no, mature enough to admit ignorance.

As he was going to continue, Jeff entered the Hospital, "Adam!" Seeing Weir he paused only long enough to salute then turned back to Adam, "Adam, I don't want to alarm you, but the Puddle Jumper that McKay and Sheppard are in is stuck in the Star Gate, half in and half out. They have half an hour left before the Gate disengages."

In shock Adam didn't move or breathe for a few moments then his face drained of all colour and he stumbled to fall into his seat. "W...What?"

Jeff came forward and pulled Adam into his arms, ignoring Weir who looked on with confusion. Apparently she was the only person left in Atlantis who didn't know they were together.

"Don't worry Adam, McKay will figure out how to get the Jumper through. Sheppard with be find." Adam clung to Jeff. He'd been watching over John's family for a thousand years and now it was up to Rodney to save the last of the line.

"I... I should go to the 'Gate room..."

"No Adam, no I think you should just wait here." Jeff pulled away to look him in the face, "You have patients and you don't want to distract McKay or Sheppard."

"You're right. I don't want that."

"Don't worry Adam, they'll be alright."

To Be Continued