Thanks again for the reviews.

Okay folks. Returning Sheppard to normal, here's your first clue as to how… ;)

Chapter Twenty-Nine – Old Friend

"Doctor Weir."

Thinking the voice came from Rodney, she looked up to face him. Only to find everyone had disappeared.

Even the landscape, it was all replaced with a darkened version of Atlantis and she found herself standing on one of the platforms, waves crashing against it.

The voice came again. "Doctor Weir."

She immediately spun round in the direction it came from. "Who's calling me?"

There was a bright white flash, afterwards Elizabeth found herself face to face with… "I'm guessing you're an ancient but do I know you?"

"Forgotten me already?" The man clicked his fingers in a similar fashion to the way Rodney occasionally does. "Of course I'm forgetting; it was the other you I met."

"Other me…?"

The names suddenly came to her, "Janis?"

The man smiled and nodded.

"Look. I don't mean to be rude, it's really nice to meet you and all and have the opportunity to say thanks for before, but I really don't have the time…"

Janis lifted his hand, indicating for her to stop talking. "I'm here to help; things are spiraling out of control."

"Isn't it forbidden for ascended ancients to help?"

"Technically yes, but if Sheppard's transformation is allowed to continue to the point of completion, no one in the Universe will be safe and the 'dark war' older and bloodier than the Wraith war could begin again."

"You know about these Vampires, I mean creatures?"

"Yes, I tried to reach out to you in your dreams… to let you know what you're in for. But the parasite inhabiting Sheppard wasn't making it easy for me."

"Parasite?"

"When someone has been bitten, a parasite is injected into the body, that parasite re-writes the occupants chemistry. Once that transformation is complete the parasite dies, leaving a blood thirsty creature behind."

"Unknown to the occupant. The parasite has the ability to interrupt the subconscious mind of those in close contact and attack from within."

"It was you who stopped the John from my dream, pulling the gun on me."

"It was."

"Thank you."

Janis nodded in response. "Also be warned, if he wishes, he can control those he has infected, until their parasite dies."

"Can any transformation be stopped before it's complete?"

"There is a way, I can't help you directly but I can tell you," 'Janis could sense the others had found him,' "you had the cure…"

Another flash interrupted Janis's speech and Elizabeth found herself back in the forest.

Rodney's concerned voice sounded again. "Elizabeth, you okay?"

"Janis wait, I had the cure… what was it?" No response… "Janis!"

This time her name came via her earpiece. "Doctor Weir, please clarify."

It was then she noticed the ground had stopped shaking and the smoke had all but cleared. In fact there was no evidence of the pending eruption, she had expected.

Sounding a bit foolish she established communications. "Delay that order Sergeant." She looked at Rodney. "What the hell is going on?"

"Maybe we should get you back to Atlantis? You seem to be seeing things that aren't there."

"I wouldn't mention Janis's name for the sake of it."

"What did he have to say?"

"That there is a way to return Colonel Sheppard to normal."

Next Chapter: Unseen Dangers

"Please read and review, thanks. Next chapter coming soon!"