David sat in the chair beside John's bed in a comfortable slouch. The infirmary was quiet around him, and his eyes kept drooping closed. He was so tired that the neighboring bed where he'd thrown his suit coat was starting to look quite luxurious. According to Dr. Keller, John had been in a great deal of pain, and consequently on a great deal of painkillers for a couple of days. It was unlikely John would even know he'd been here, but David found the vigil reassuring.

He cringed inwardly at the thought of how desperately sick John had been. There had been a few hours when even Keller had been worried that John wouldn't survive the ordeal, despite the antidote. To simply see John sleeping quietly, looking pink and quiet against the pale green sheets, brought a deep sense of satisfaction. He was glad he'd come today.

David had almost dozed off completely when John began to thrash and moan quietly. He propped his chin on his wrist and watched as his brother worked himself awake in bits and fits of unconscious protest. After a particularly disgusted groan, David sat up with concern, looking around for the nearest nurse.

"John? Can I get you anything?"

John startled a little, then tensed, restraining the restless movements with effort.

"Hi, Dave," he said in a hoarse grunt. His eyes finally fluttered open to peer at David in weary greeting.

"Are you ok? Do you need me to get you a nurse?"

"Nah. The pain meds have just worn off."

"I'll go ask the nurse for some more."

"I said no. I don't want any more right now."

"Makes you foggy." David relaxed back into his chair, hating to see John in pain.

"Yeah," John breathed, squirming a little to get comfortable. "Since you're here, you can distract me for a while before I cave in again. Talk to me."

"What do you want to talk about?" David asked, not expecting rational conversation and deciding to humor John with verbal nonsense.

"Tell me how you got the antidote that saved my ass."

"Ah." David said, and then hesitated. He hadn't been prepared for this conversation tonight, and wasn't looking forward to it at any point. John was watching him through pain-slitted eyes.

"Keller told me the infection that almost took me out was a Trust bioweapon, that you conned your Trust informant out of the cure. I just can't work out how you did it?" John was talking much more rational than David had been hoping, and he found himself scrubbing his chin with discomfort, fidgeting with reluctance.

"Dave?" John prompted.

"You remember that Nathan Larsen was CEO of DaeNaq and became my VP at PSI after I unwisely acquired his company?"

"Sure. Larsen was working for the Trust on some super secret project and decided to double-cross them. He took his goa'uld cargo ship to DaeNaq that night to steal back technology he'd developed on the Trust's dime. When I vaporized whatever it was – some weapon that would have compromised the US power grid, I think – Larsen took me hostage instead."

David frowned. He hadn't heard that part of John's story yet. "Nathan had a weapon at DaeNaq?"

"Yeah, he did. I overheard him as he was looking for it, and managed to destroy it before he got it to his ship."

"The crate you shot at. The one that disappeared," David exclaimed, suddenly understanding John's actions during those terrifying moments he'd been watching from the balcony. "You've got to inform General Landry about that weapon, John."

"I told him about it, already. Uh, I think I told him. I don't remember much before about…now."

"Maybe I should go make sure."

David was half looking for an excuse to leave when John pushed himself further upright on his pillows with a teeth clenched expression of resolve.

"Not until you tell me the rest. What does that have to do with the antidote?"

John's glare wasn't nearly as intimidating as usual, but it was perhaps more convincing in its raw sincerity. David folded his hands into his lap, forcing himself to go on.

"Larsen was working for a goa'uld named Perses who's host was a Russian energy bureaucrat named Dimitri Kolohov. Landry's people seem to think that the Trust is infiltrating energy providers globally, and PSI was going to be their foothold – to use your term – in the United States."

"I'd figured out the US part." John nodded worriedly, "but damn, they're going global too, huh?"

"Yes. Their fatal mistake was using Larsen, who was too stupid and too impatient to do his job effectively."

"Taking over PSI quietly and then using your access to the grid for their weapon."

"Exactly. When Larsen sold DaeNaq to us, he managed, accidentally, to bring the Trust one step away from the SGC through me to you. Which is exactly where they didn't want to be. I'm guessing that they thought to eliminate that risk by…well…" David coughed awkwardly.

"Eliminating me," John finished, sounding not at all disturbed.

"Right. And by intercepting my messages to you. My IT department confirms that the mail servers have been tampered with. Landry has uncovered Trust spies already at Peterson and within the SGC that also probably intercepted the phone call messages I made."

"But Julia's got through."

"Yes. And thank goodness for that. If you hadn't arrived on Earth when you did, and done what you did at DaeNaq that night, Larsen would have gotten away with his weapon and probably left me dead on the warehouse floor." David looked away, fiddling with his fingers in his lap. "I'm grateful, John. You need to know that. I'm…sorry I was angry at you when you arrived."

"You'd had a bad day," John replied dismissively with a clumsy wave of his thickly bandaged hand and David looked up sharply in surprise. John seemed truly unconcerned. Could he really shake off such a terrifying battle so easily? It made David wonder what kind of experiences John endured on a regular basis to be so nonchalant. John's wave turned into a 'get on with it' motion.

"Antidote, Dave. I'm not taking another Vicadin until I know why I'm still alive to feel crappy enough to want it."

David rubbed his eyes and chuckled. John was so damn persistent. It was what kept him alive, David suddenly realized. He gave a great sigh of defeat and propped his feet up on the edge of John's bed, folded his arms over his chest.

"After DaeNaq, I thought you were dead, John. I saw Larsen hold the gun to your head, and I saw you collapse. I was certain that he'd killed you and that it was all my fault."

"Yeah, well, I'm pretty hard to kill." John finally looked a little awkward.

"I'm learning that. After Dr. McKay, Ronon and Teyla arrived from Atlantis, they convinced me that it was more likely that you had been taken prisoner and talked me out of arranging for another family wake. While they began their search for Larsen's ship, Perses contacted the SGC and asked for a meeting with me."

"He just called up the SGC?"

"From the second ship, we assume."

"Damn. The Trust is getting cocky."

"You have no idea."

"So, the snake Perses makes an appointment with my brother. This is the point where I just don't get it: Why?"

"In a nutshell: To offer me a job." John's eyes narrowed to suspicious slits and David found himself bouncing a knee in agitation as he went on. "Perses was apparently impressed with the way I handled the Trust's invasion of PSI and they saw that they have need of someone in their organization with my expertise. I suspect they will not set aside their plans for the US energy market just because they failed this time."

"What did you tell them, Dave?" John growled, and David heard the angry concern underneath the demand. His brother was as astute as Julia, David realized.

"I told them to go to hell, at first. And then Perses pulled out the antidote. It got more complicated, then."

"What did you do?"

"I traded the antidote for the vial of symbiote neurotoxin that Agent Barrett had given me for self defense."

John sat bolt upright in his bed, shaking with the effort and suppressed pain, but looking every bit as angry as David had expected. "Holy Crap Dave! You had a chance to take out Perses with the toxin and you didn't do it? He was standing right in front of you and you let him walk away? What the HELL were you thinking?"

"I was thinking that I was saving your life," David answered, trying to sound indignant. But the words came out a bit more meekly than he intended under John's fierce fury.

"Dave, do you realize how bad that guy is? You yourself just sat here and told me the Trust has plans to take over the whole global energy market."

"I couldn't let you die."

John flung himself back against his pillows and covered his face with his hands for a moment before letting them fall heavily to the bed. "I can't believe you did that. What did Perses say about the job offer thing after you made the trade? I can't imagine them just letting you walk away, either." John's voice was low with worry.

David squirmed. "Perses' theory was that I would be more interested in his offer after PSI collapsed under the accusations Larsen set into motion. I also suspect that Perses knew about, or initiated the attacks against Julia. He believed that once I 'hit bottom' so to speak, I'd be ready to deal. Perses also believed that by letting you live, you would serve as collateral. He was willing to let me go. I'm certain that he's keeping a close eye on me and PSI."

"Oh, Dave," John breathed and David was shocked to see a sparkle of emotion in John's eyes. "What have you done?"

"I've saved your life, and now, I plan to get back to mine."

"The Trust will never get off your back. They think you owe them. Perses –"

"Isn't as clever as he believes. Perses' plan depended on PSI failing and Julia dying. Thanks to Teyla and my stunningly overconfident brother, Julia survived the attack against her. She's agreed to hire ongoing security, grudgingly."

"I wouldn't say overconfident. How about brilliant? Brave? Heroic?"

"Hmmm. Arrogant perhaps." David welcomed the brief distraction of humor, and returned it with something like relief.

"That's what Julia called me, too. I agreed with her."

"Naturally. She's quite smitten by the way. Saving her life the way you did has made my life miserable. She won't stop talking and asking about you." David was only mostly teasing – Julia had been quite concerned about John's illness, and frustrated that she wasn't allowed into the Cheyenne Mountain facility to visit for herself.

"She's got a thing for pilots," John stated, looking smug and David found himself frowning, which only pleased John more.

The remarkable thing was that David had never figured that out before; Julia had been fascinated with John since before their father's funeral, and downright annoying about him since.

"You're probably right," David finally sighed, realizing he felt just a bit uncomfortable about it. His brother was attractive, charming, athletic, and all those physical traits that David wasn't. Why shouldn't Julia be smitten?

"Dave, I'm…so sorry about…Dad's company," John said, his voice suddenly soft and hesitant. David looked at John quickly, seeing the sparkle of concern again, this time mixed with weary contrition. "PSI meant everything to Dad. I know it means a lot to you. What will you do?"

"Ah! Yes. You distracted me from my second point about Perses' flaw. PSI is not going to fail, John."

"But the fraud charges? Larsen's cooked books?"

"Fabrications. I already told you."

"But even if you can prove it wasn't you who did it, won't the company still -."

"PSI has been using SOX compliant accounting practices since Dad began the company, John. Long before there was Sorbanes-Oxley. My CFO and I knew there was someone meddling with the books at our last quarterly filing."

"Meaning?"

"I never signed Larsen's falsified reports, although we didn't know it was him at the time. My CFO and I corrected the books and filed accurately. Voluntarily filed, I might add. We're not required as a private company."

"So not only can you point the finger at Larsen, but you don't even have any fraud to defend?"

"That's pretty much it. We lost one client during the initial shakeout, but I've been working with the FBI and doing damage control with our other clients all week. The rest are not only on board, they're thrilled that we've come out looking so – honest and straightforward – I believe was the term. We picked up two new clients today." David looked at his watch, "That is, yesterday," he corrected stifling a yawn.

John was staring at him, wide eyed and David cocked his head in puzzlement. "You really are a damn Boy Scout," John finally said and then he chuckled, sinking further into his pillows with a twist of discomfort. "They caught up with Larsen yet?" he asked, closing his eyes and panting a bit.

"He's dead."

John's eyes flew open, "We took him out?"

"No. Larsen admitted himself to a hospital in Salt Lake City five days ago. He died two days later of septic shock as the result of a massive systemic staph infection."

"The Trust took him out," John breathed.

"It appears that they had no more use for him," David agreed.

"Dave, I'm glad that PSI is going to ride this out, but I'm really…worried about you. Perses won't be happy. These people, the way they think – they'll believe you double crossed them."

David tugged at his lip, John's quiet fear more disturbing than any riot act he'd received from Landry and Barrett combined. But he'd made his decision in the warehouse. He knew full well the sacrifice he'd be making, far beyond the SGC's annoyance at losing the neurotoxin.

"I know. I won't really be able to go back to life as usual. The Trust will always be lurking over my shoulder. I'll have to stay on guard, watch my back. And so will you, John. Perses let you live so as to use you against me. He's already used you once to test my loyalties."

"Sorry about that. But you can't worry about me. Compared to what I face every day on Atlantis, the Trust are the least of my concerns."

"And that's supposed to be reassuring?" David quipped.

"It's supposed to remind you that staying ahead of bad guys is MY job. No offense, Dave, but you're a suit. You're still out of your league when it comes to these people."

"I managed just fine with Larsen. And helped bring down the biggest Trust infiltration the SGC has seen so far."

"With MY help, Dave."

"Agreed. We make a rather good team."

"Oh Ancestors help me," John muttered and David smiled at John's expression that was so reminiscent of Teyla. He was going to make a snide comment in return when John stiffened and closed his eyes, clenching his fists on top of the crisp sheets.

"Do you want that painkiller, now?" David asked softly instead.

"I…want you to promise me you'll be careful," John hissed through his discomfort. "I will get Landry to put you on the high priority security lists, and you are to call him and me the second you get even a hint of the Trust shadowing you. No exceptions. You put security on Julia and you get some for yourself. Surround yourself with people you trust and don't let them out of your sight. Do you understand?"

"John -."

"Do you understand?!"

"Yes."

They were interrupted by a nurse making rounds, and John reluctantly accepted the Vicadin that was offered. David watched John's eyes go foggy and begin to droop as the medicine kicked in quickly, even before the nurse had finished her midnight checkup. The vulnerable drowse that fell upon John was even more disconcerting after experiencing the full, vibrant protectiveness of his personality. A new kind of protectiveness was growing within David's own chest; protectiveness that had nothing to do with changing John into someone else, but more with learning about who he was.

A couple of interesting ideas were beginning to take shape when John flopped his head and grinned in bemused relaxation.

"I was making you promise to be careful, wasn't I?" he slurred.

"Yes, you were."

"Did you do it?"

"What?"

"Promise."

"I think I did."

"Let me hear it," John demanded, then promptly closed his eyes.

"Hear what?" David replied with a soft smile. Baiting his brother was an old habit after all. He'd always been able to win on verbal grounds. But this time he wasn't sure he wanted to.

"Hear…you…promise," John said even more softly.

"On one condition. You come home for a while."

"Atlantis?" John said, his eyes still closed, and David was strongly reminded of Perses telling David that John would leave him all alone. John's sleepy confession convinced David far more than any quip or rebuke that John had found a home on Atlantis, a home he'd never had as a child or young adult. David fiddled with his hands.

"No, I meant come home with me for a while. We can stay at the Ranch."

John frowned, but was clearly very close to sleep, "Gotta…go…back," he whispered and then began to snore softly.

David leaned back in his seat and scrubbed his face. He wanted John to reconnect with his home on Earth, but he realized that John would probably perceive that desire as an attempt to control him. David watched the late nurses move quietly through the infirmary, and he watched Dr. Lam shut off her office lights and hang up her lab coat to leave. All these people were dedicated to a fault, David thought, then laughed at himself. He regularly put in office time until midnight or later.

John would need a lot of rest and recuperation time. He would talk to Jennifer Keller and Dr. Lam. John wouldn't appreciate the interference at first, but David had some ideas about how to help his brother recover and maybe rebuild some of that connection at the same time.

John groaned in his sleep and rolled to curl around his pillow. David slapped his knees and stood up with a groan of his own. He also needed to sleep. He grabbed up his coat, stretched and then returned to John's side for one last handclasp goodbye.

"We have a deal, then," David said softly. "You come stay with me for a couple of weeks, and…" David felt his throat constrict, feeling the full burden of his sacrifice as he watched John sleeping off the terrible effects of the Trust's lethal demonstration.

"And I'll be careful," he said at last. "I promise."