Chap. 38:

Realizing that she is about to pass out, Lorne lunges out to catch her before she hits the ground and as he scoops her into his arms, "Ronon, radio the infirmary and tell them we're bringing her in." he says, as they hurry out of the gym for the transporter.

Nodding and taping his radio as they reach it, "Ronon to the infirmary."

"Go ahead Ronon. What is it?" Keller's voice asks over the radio.

"Doc, we're bringing Lexi to you. She passed out."

"Okay. What's your eta?"

Looking at Lorne, "five minutes."

"We'll be waiting."

"Good. Ronon out." and looking down at Lexi in Lorne's arms, "do you think she has what Sheppard has?"

Shaking his head and grimacing at the startled looks they're getting from the people in the corridor, "I don't think so. I think she was right when she said she just over did it."

Five minutes later, he deposits Lexi on a waiting gurney and moves out of the way to let Keller and her staff check her over. While this is going on, Beckett comes over to the two men and stands with them, as they watch the practiced movements of Keller and her team.

"Hey doc. How's Sheppard." Ronon asks, as he keeps his eyes on Lexi.

Lorne draws his eyes away from the activity, "yeah. How is he?"

Sighing at the sight in front of them, "I bloody well wish people would listen to me when I tell them to do something." and looking from Lexi to them, "he's as well as can be expected. His temp is still up there, no matter what we throw at it. I'm afraid that if it doesn't come down soon, we're gonna have to try something else."

"Can we see him?" Ronon asks.

"Aye. Rodney left a little while ago and I'm sure Lexi would want someone sitting with him." and seeing Keller walking towards them, "Jennifer, how is she?"

Coming to stand in front of them, "well she's dehydrated and her blood sugar is in the basement. But, she should be coming around soon." and looking at Ronon and Lorne, "what happened?"

"We were in the gym training the new batch of marines. She fought us." Lorne says, motioning to himself and Ronon, "and then she just fainted."

"She said that she over did it." Ronon adds on.

Glancing at Beckett, "well, she did over do it. I'm surprised she didn't pass out sooner."

Looking from her to Lexi, "she will be okay, right?"

"Yes Major, she's going to be fine. I'll keep her here over night to monitor her and release her in the morning." and seeing the concern in his eyes, "why don't you sit with her?"

Nodding and walking the couple of steps to Lexi's side, "yeah, I think I might." he says, as he pulls up a stool, taking her hand in his.

"So doc, can I sit with Sheppard?"

"Yes Ronon, go right ahead. Carson, will you continue to keep an eye on him for me?" Keller asks, taking her eyes off Lorne and Lexi, "I want to stay with her."

Heading for John's room, following Ronon and looking over his shoulder, "aye love. Not a problem."

Stepping up to the side of Lexi's bed and bringing up her chart on the computer, "thanks." she says, as she makes a few notations on it.

Seeing Keller from the corner of his eye, "doc, she's hot."

Clicking save and looking at him, "as I said, she's dehydrated. A rise in her temp is to be expected. It's one of the symptoms." and coming around to the other side, she reaches for Lexi's wrist, smiling as she lets out a soft moan at her touch, "and I believe she's waking up now. Lexi can you open your eyes for me?"

The last thing Lexi remembers is falling. As her brain comes on line, an image of John lying in his infirmary bed seizing due to his temperature being too high, has her eyes snapping open and her bolting upright.

Blinking her eyes a couple of times, she sees Lorne's concerned face in her line of vision and slumping against the pillows as the room spins, "John's...seizing." she manages to croak out.

Seeing the panic in her eyes, he squeezes her hand gently and looking from her to Keller and back, "Lexi, he's fine. Beckett and Ronon are with hi..."

The words are drowned out, as from John's room, Beckett's shouts for a cooling blanket and sedatives slice through the otherwise quiet infirmary.

Keller turns and runs for the cabinet where they keep the cooling blankets and shouting over her shoulder, "Major, keep her in that bed. I'll be right back."

Lorne's eyes are glued to the end of the infirmary, where the noise is coming from. He nods his head at her as she runs off, but doesn't realize the reason for her order until he feels Lexi shifting in the bed, pulling her hand out of his.

Bringing his eyes back to her, "and where do you think you're going?" he asks, sitting on the edge of the bed, placing both hands on her shoulders and pushing her gently back against the pillows.

Struggling against his grip, "Evan, let me up. I've got to get to John."

Tightening his grip and looking her in the eyes, "you heard Keller. You need to stay here."

Looking past him towards John's room, "no I have to be in there." she says, continuing to struggle against him, "I need to..."

"Lexi love, where do you think you're going?"

She stops struggling against Lorne's grip and as he turns his head to see Beckett coming over to them, she slumps against the pillows again, "Carson, what's going on?"

Sighing and coming to stand next to her, "I had to sedate him." and looking at her sternly, "why didn't you listen to me when I told you to go get something to eat?"

Looking past him, "I ah..." and seeing Keller coming up to them as well, Ronon in tow, "Jen, can I see him?"

Coming to a stop at the foot of the bed, "no. I want you to rest. Rodney and Teyla are on their way, with the tray of food I ordered for you, which you're going to eat."

"But.."

"No buts. You should've listened to Carson this morning instead of fighting with them." she scolds, pointing at Lorne and Ronon and crossing her arms over her chest, "how did you know?"

Seeing everyone staring at her, she squirms a little in the bed, "how did I know what?"

Sighing in frustration, "don't play dumb with me. How did you know that Colonel Sheppard was about to seize?

Beckett looks from her to Lexi and back, shock written across his face, "what do you mean she knew?"

Lorne turns to face him, "right before we heard you calling for help, she woke up and it was the first thing out of her mouth. I thought she was still dreaming, but then we heard you."

"And that's why I'm asking. Lexi, how did you know?"

"Asking her how she knew what?"

Everyone turns to see Teyla and McKay walking towards them, Teyla carrying a food tray. She places it down on a rolling table and as she moves it over Lexi's lap, McKay comes to stand next to Keller and seeing everyone refocusing on Lexi, "well?"

"Well Rodney, it looks like Teyla might not be the only one with telepathic abilities." Beckett says, smiling at the look of confusion that crosses McKay's face.

"Huh? You mean that Lexi has Wraith DNA as well?"

Rubbing her hands over her face and slouching further down on the bed, "I don't have Wraith DNA, Rodney and I don't know how I knew Jen. I just did."

"What did she know?" Teyla asks.

"She knew that Colonel Sheppard was going to have a seizure, before he had it." Keller says, and looking at Lexi, "Lexi, eat." and turning to face everyone else, "why don't we go chat in my office?"

Lexi watches as everyone heads off towards Keller's office, Keller trying to calm McKay down and everyone else, walking behind them. Eyeing the food tray and realizing that Teyla is still standing next to the bed, "what is it?"

Smiling, "chicken soup." and seeing the apprehension and worry on her face, "would you like me to stay with you?"

Returning the smile, lifting the cover off the bowl of soup and taking a bite, "no. I'm fine. Thanks though."

Turning to head for Keller's office, "all right. But if you change your mind, just call."

"Thanks Teyla." she says around bites of the soup and she watches as Teyla nods and disappears into Keller's office. She tries to eat more of the soup, which is proving difficult, as her appetite is still non-existent. Giving up and pushing the table away from her, she leans back against the pillows and closes her eyes, sighing as her head is killing her.

xxxx

She lies there for a couple of minutes with her eyes closed, trying to ignore the pounding behind her eyes and that's when she hears it. At first, her eyes snap open and she looks around the immediate vicinity, wondering where the sound came from. Not seeing anyone near her and listening really hard, she can hear the conversation coming from Keller's office. But something in the pit of her stomach is telling her that that was not what she heard. She closes her eyes again and a second later she hears it again. This time as she opens her eyes, she knows exactly where it came from.

Slowly she sits up and sliding her legs over the edge of the bed, she stands up. Gripping the IV pole, as the room decides to tilt on her and she closes her eyes until the head rush passes. Opening them up again, she pulls out the IV and once it is out and she has found a Band Aid to put over the wound, she begins to slowly shuffle towards John's room.

"This is crazy. I know that he's out cold, but." she says, under her breath as she reaches the room and steps inside of it.

She walks up to his bed and as she takes his left hand in hers, her head feels like it's going to split open and she drops to her knees, "ahh!"

What feels like an eternity, but in fact is only a couple of seconds later, she feels strong hands on her shoulders and she opens her eyes, searching for the owner of those hands.

Eyes locking with Lorne's, "help." she whimpers out, tears streaming down her face.

"Lexi let go of his hand." Beckett says as he kneels down next to her and reaching for her left wrist, he grimaces as he feels her pulse racing under his fingertips.

Looking at him, "can't...he's...in...pain." she hiccups out, as she is now shaking and as the words leave her mouth the EKG monitor starts beeping fast, alerting everyone to the truth of her words.

Staring at her in shock, Keller quickly checks over John, excusing herself as the readings she gets from him are disconcerting to say the least. A few seconds later she hurries back into the room heading straight for his IV. Reaching it, she injects the contents of the syringe she has into it. Discarding the syringe, she looks from him to everyone else and finally her eyes come to rest on Lexi, who is now being supported by Lorne, as she is unconscious.

As she comes around the bed, kneeling down next to Beckett, who is checking Lexi's pupil reaction, the beeping from the EKG starts to slow, "Carson, what the hell is going on?"

Shrugging at her, "I have no idea." and looking at McKay, "Rodney, please go and double check the database for information on the planet you visited yesterday. Let us know if there was anything there that might have led to this." and as he stands up, "Major, I'm going to try and separate their hands. As soon as she's free settle her on the bed over there."

Maneuvering so that he can pick her up, but still keeping her up right, "got it doc."

Reaching down for Lexi's hand and noticing that McKay has yet to move, "Rodney!"

Hearing the exasperation in Beckett's voice, "oh yes, of course. I'm going." he says, drawing his eyes away from the scene and hurrying out of the room.

"Doc, what can we do?" Ronon asks.

"Honestly Ronon, the best thing is for you to go about your day." Keller says as she wipes a cool cloth over John's forehead.

"Come Ronon, let us go. I'm sure Carson and Jennifer will radio the moment there is any change." Teyla says, understanding that they will only be in the way if they stay.

Nodding and trying to pry Lexi's hand out of John's, "aye lad. As soon as we have some idea about what's going on, we'll...let you...know."

"Carson, do you need some help?"

Concentrating and shaking his head, "no I've got it."

"Doc, she's burning up." Lorne says.

Placing the wet cloth down on the tray next to John's bed and grabbing the LSD, she comes over to Lexi's side and scanning her, "he's right Carson, her temp has spiked. It's nearly as high as the Colonel's."

"Ah, there we go." Beckett says, finally prying Lexi's hand out of John's, "I can feel it, love. But I have no..."

The rest of his words are drowned out as at the same time, a blood-curdling scream issues from Lexi and John. Standing up quickly, Keller is by John's side trying to hold him down, as he is shaking so hard the bed is rattling. Beckett stands up to help, only to be torn between whom to help first, as he can see that Lexi is also shaking like a leaf in Lorne's arms.

"Damn it!" he curses and taking in the scene, an idea strikes him, "Major, put her on this bed and rest her hand on his, now."

"Okay doc." Lorne says, as he gently lifts Lexi up off the floor depositing her on the gurney, pushing it closer to John's. As soon as the beds are touching, he leans over and lays her right hand on John's left.

Immediately the alarm on the EKG shuts off and as the two of them stop shaking, Lexi's eyes flutter open.

Eyes darting around the room and coming to rest on Beckett, "hot."

"You or John?" Beckett asks and out of the corner of his eye, he sees Keller walking out of the room.

Turning her head on the pillow, seeing John lying next to her, she realizes that her hand is resting on his. Entwining her fingers with his, shifting a little in the bed and looking back at Beckett, "both." and turning her head on the pillow, locking eyes with Lorne, "tell Rodney he needs to convince Woolsey to let them go back to the planet. This has something to do with the elder who he shared the shellfish with."

Eyeing her skeptically, "how do you know that?"

Closing her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose with her left hand, "John."

"What do you mean?" Lorne asks her.

Opening her eyes, staring at him, "Evan, I can't explain it. Just trust me."

"I just got a call from the Gate room, two teams are coming in hot."

They all look over at the door to see Keller striding in, a frown on her face and an IV kit in her hand. As she hands it over to Beckett, "Dr. Cole and I can handle it, but can you handle them?" she asks, as she watches him inserting the IV into Lexi's left hand.

"Doc, let me know what happens here." Lorne says, nodding at Lexi and heading for the door, "Lexi, I'll tell him, but I've got to go."

Looking up at them, "aye. Jennifer, I've got this covered and Major do me a favor. Let Mr. Woolsey know what's going on."

Heading out of the room, "sure thing."

Keller waits a couple of seconds, scanning her eyes over Lexi and John, "are you sure you can handle them?"

Nodding at her, "I've got it. Go."

He watches her hurry out of the room and looking down at Lexi, he startles as he realizes that she has been watching him, "how are you feeling?"

Grimacing, "weird."

Matching her grimace, as he takes her pulse, "what do you mean weird?"

"I can feel everything he's feeling." and teeth starting to chatter, "did it just…get cold in here?"

Letting go of her wrist and reaching for the LSD, scanning her, "no love, it's your temp. It's fluctuating wildly." and walking around to John's right side, he scans the monitors hooked up to him, noting that his temp is starting to come down, "well that's just odd."

Looking at him, "his temp is coming down, isn't it?"

"Aye, as a matter of fact it's now down to 100.9. I think it's safe to take this off him." he says as he pulls the cooling blanket down to the foot of the bed, leaving just a sheet over John and heading for the exit, "I think we might be able to wake him up. Hang tight for just a sec, I'll be right back."

Lexi watches as he leaves the room and closing her eyes, "I know, I told them. But they're still confused by it just as much as we are."

"Carson's going to wake me up right?"

"Yeah, he should be coming back soon. How are you feeling and don't say fine, because I'll know. Like I told Carson, I feel everything you feel."

"Sorry. This is really weird and I am fine. The stuff Keller gave me really did the trick."

"You see what happens when you tell the truth."

"Lexi, I don't lie when I feel like crap. I just don't admit to it. You know how I feel about being here."

"And you know that it only makes things worse when you don't own up to how you're really feeling. We've had this conversation so often I feel like I'm talking to a wall."

"Anyway. How are you feeling?"

"Just peachy. I just hope there's a way to fix this. I don't know how much more our bodies can take." and realizing that Beckett is calling her name, "Carson's back. I'll see you back in the land of the conscious soon."

"Can't wait."

She opens her eyes and seeing Beckett looking at her, concern written across his face, "what?"

Looking from her to the monitors and back, "what were you doing?"

"Ah, I was talking to him." and watching as he walks around to John's right side, reaching for the IV and uncapping the syringe he has in his hand, "has Rodney found anything yet? We have to reverse this soon."

Inserting the needle of the syringe into the IV port and looking up at her with a questioning look, "why?" he asks, as depresses the liquid into the IV.

Eyes snapping open, "Lexi?" John croaks out.

"Yeah John, I'm here."

"Colonel, how are you feeling?"

Turning his head on the pillow and seeing Beckett standing next to him, "a lot better." and looking back at Lexi, "I'm not lying Lexi. Seriously, get out of my head."

Frowning at him, "I could say the same thing to you." she says and looking at Beckett, "this would be the reason why." and as a shiver courses through her, "his temp is leveling off."

Eyeing the monitor and then John, "you're right." and realizing that she has her eyes closed now and John is watching her, still holding her hand, "Lexi?"

Looking at him, "she's fine Carson, just sleeping. Now why don't you tell me what I've missed."

Pulling up a stool and taking a seat, "well, I have to say, there is something easier about treating you, when she can read your thoughts."

Sighing and scrubbing his face tiredly, "I get it. I don't always own up to how I'm feeling. Now that we've established that, how did this happen?"

"I can answer that. Oh and nice of you to join us Sheppard."

Beckett turns on the stool to see McKay walking into the room, tablet in hand and from behind him he hears John sigh, before, "thanks McKay, I didn't know you cared."

Rolling his eyes as he comes to a stop at the foot of the bed, "right. Well anyway, you remember the pendant the village elder was wearing?"

Grimacing, "no, not really."

Seeing the grimace, "Colonel are you okay?"

"I'm good. Rodney, you were saying."

Also not missing the grimace, but ignoring it as he sees the look that Beckett is giving him, "yes. Right. Well evidently the pendant wasn't a pendant at all. It's a scanning device. Atria, Etria, whatever her name was, used it to scan all of us." he says, as he looks down at his tablet, which is beeping at him.

"Why did she scan us?" and looking over at Beckett, "Carson, she's cold."

Nodding and getting up, Beckett leaves the room. Watching him go and realizing that McKay has yet to answer him, "Rodney."

Looking up at the strain in his voice, "oh right, sorry. Anyway, she scanned us because she wanted to find someone with the ATA gene."

Sighing, "let me guess. She needed someone with a pure gene, not an artificial one."

"You guessed right."

Rubbing his right hand over his face, "and she also needed someone with the strongest gene, right?"

"Right again." and seeing his eyes starting to close, "I'll tell you the rest later."

Forcing his eyes open and seeing Beckett walking into the room, carrying a blanket, "no. Finish now."

Watching Beckett lay the blanket over Lexi, "um. I don't know if I should, you don't look that good."

Pinching the bridge of his nose, "please tell me now."

Meeting Beckett's eyes and nodding, "the scanning device allows her to mark the person who has the strongest gene and by marking them, she can use their life force to help herself become young again."

"Bloody hell. She's a vampire."

"Sort of. But, when Kennedy got hurt, the process was stopped before she could finish linking with you." McKay says, reading something on his tablet.

Closing his eyes and sighing again, "and when I ah."

Shifting uncomfortably in his chair, "yeah. When you two ah, anyway, the link established between the two of you instead. But Lexi doesn't have the scanning device and the process was not completed with what's her name, which is why you got sick. So the only way to fix this is to do as you said and go back to the planet and reverse the whole thing."

Forcing his eyes open, "but.."

Noticing the difficulty he is having staying awake, "Rodney, come with me. Let's let them rest."

Blinking his eyes a couple of times, "Carson, I'm fine. It's just..."

"Aye lad. She's asleep, which is making you tired. I also imagine that this link is quite draining on the both of you. Get some sleep. Rodney and I will be right outside."

Letting his eyes shut, "thanks...guys."

Walking with Beckett out of the room, "don't worry Sheppard, we'll fix this."

Taking a seat right outside of it, "Rodney, if we take him back to the planet, we're gonna have to take her as well. The last time we tried to separate them it wasn't good."

"I'm not surprised about that. According to the information the database has on the scanner, once the link is created, physical contact has to be maintained until the transfer of life essence is complete."

"Does it say how to reverse this without allowing Annia to kill the Colonel?"

"Annia, that's right, that was her name."

"Rodney."

"Yes and once we've reversed the link they should be okay."

Eyebrows shooting up, "should be?"

Sighing, "yeah. The database doesn't say that this has ever happened before. Evidently the Ancient that created the scanner, was able to always complete the link with her intended victim. I don't want to think how Annia got a hold of it. Unless, she's an Ancient." he says, his eyes lighting up at the thought.

"But Rodney, if Annia is an Ancient, that would mean."

Standing up and heading for the exit to the infirmary, "I know Carson. Get them ready to go, I'm gonna go brief Woolsey and Major Lorne."