Author's Note: I would like to thank my beta reader, Nika Dixon, for her guidance and her quick review of this chapter despite having much of her own writing to do. Any mistakes here are purely my own.

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Stargate Atlantis or the characters. The only thing that is mine are any original thoughts or characters that you may find here.

Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to leave a review. If you haven't left a review yet then, please do. It's easy. All comments are welcome and I will reply. Now on with the adventure.

Chapter 29

Missing + 7days

Weir sank into her chair at the head of the conference table and looked around at the people sat around the table. They had all returned through the Stargate a short while ago having spent several days examining the Ancient device.

"So you're telling me that this device is a time machine? Like the one Janus built?" asked Weir.

"Actually we think that it was his prototype. The one that the other Elizabeth said he was forced to abandon by the Atlantis Council." replied Zelenka.

"And you think that this device has sent them all forward in time?" asked Weir.

"We analysed the settings based on the texts that Dr Salesi decrypted-" replied Dr Soong.

"Yes. We think that Ronon and Dr Johnson were sent forward in time. We cannot say if that is true for the Colonel and McKay." replied Zelenka.

"Can you reverse the process? Get Ronon and Johnson back?" asked Weir.

"Dr Zelenka does not think so." replied Teyla.

"It transports objects from the space-time that the device is in when it is triggered to the target space-time. They would need to trigger it from their space-time but they would need to re-calibrate the machine to send them back to the right space-time." explained Zelenka.

"Can we send a message through to Ronon?" asked Lorne. "Tell them what they need to know to get themselves back."

Weir looked to the scientists expectantly.

"Possibly." replied Zelenka.

"Did you not say that the device requires someone with the gene to trigger it? Would there not be the risk that they would be transported as well?" asked Teyla.

"It does." replied Dr Salesi "And it is very likely that anyone in that room would be transported along with the message."

"I'll do it." volunteered Lorne.

"You would need one of us to assist you." added Dr Soong.

"No-one is triggering that device again unless you can guarantee me that they will be able to return." stated Weir. "I am not prepared to lose any more personnel."

"I can make no such guarantee." replied Zelenka.

"We are not sure that the device will even work in reverse." added Dr Salesi.

Weir considered all that she had been told about the device. She looked around at the people sat around the table. She would like nothing better than to send a team to bring Sheppard and the others back. "My answer has to stay the same. Dr Zelenka I am happy for you and your team to continue working on this problem. Bring me a different option and I'll consider it. In the meantime, Major, I want you to take a team back to look for the Colonel and the others. Maybe we'll get lucky and they were only sent a few days into the future."

"Yes, ma'am" replied Lorne.

Weir left the conference room and made her way quickly to her balcony. She grasped the railing; her head hung low and her eyes closed as she struggled with the emotions that threatened to overwhelm her. How will Atlantis survive without them? How will I without him?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Missing + 1 month

Carson found Weir working in her office. "Elizabeth, do you know how late it is?"

Weir looked up from her laptop. "Hi Carson, just finishing off some reports."

"You can do that tomorrow."

"You've been taking lessons from the Colonel."

"We both care about you. Some people have expressed their concerns about how hard you have been pushing yourself. Are you still having trouble sleeping?"

Weir nodded.

"It's been a month. Maybe it's time to accept that they're not coming back."

"I don't know how to do that." replied Weir.

"It's hard I know but you cannot keep sending teams back to that planet forever. At some point you have to stop."

"I know you're right, Carson. But they could turn up tomorrow. If we stop looking it's like we're giving up on them."

"If McKay could've gotten them back from wherever they were sent he would've by now. Come on, luv, let me get you something to help you sleep."

Weir nodded and followed him out of her office.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Missing + 5 weeks

"You wanted to see me, ma'am?" asked Lorne.

"Yes, Major. I want you to call off the search for the Colonel and the others."

"Ma'am?"

"I think it's time to accept that we are not going to find them. I'll send a report to the SGC, I'm sure that they'll want to send replacements, in the meantime you're acting CO."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Missing + 6 weeks

Beckett found her leaning on the railing of her balcony looking out across the vast city towards the ocean beyond. She continued to study the waves despite the sound of his footsteps as he approached. He remembered that she used this balcony as a refuge from the demands of being the leader; when a moment of calm reflection was required before jumping back into the fray. He recalled that Sheppard had also used this balcony for the same reason frequently sharing it with Weir.

"I hear that you have appointed Major Lorne and Radek in place of the Colonel and Rodney."

"You were right. It's taken me 10 days to accept that but you were right. We have to move on and no-one else will if I can't."

"We could hold a memorial service for them. Give everyone the chance to say good-bye. Give yourself a chance to move on."

"I'm not ready to say goodbye, Carson. I'm not sure I'll ever be. But you're right they deserve a memorial service. I'm just not..."

"Would you like me to make the arrangements?"

Weir nodded. "Thank you." She knew this was the right thing to do for the people left on Atlantis but in her heart it felt wrong. It felt like she was giving up on him and like she had said she wasn't ready for that. It felt like a betrayal of faith and of hope. Above all it felt final. She hoped dearly that she was wrong; that they hadn't truly lost four more good men to the vagaries of the Pegasus galaxy.

TBC

A/N: I know it was a short chapter but don't worry the next one is not far away. Don't worry the boys will be back in the next chapter. I just thought Elizabeth deserved her own share of the limelight for a change. So what next? Oh yes time for you to push that little grey button at the bottom of the page and leave a review.