Hoff, again. In the hospital - of course.

Beckett looked around slowly, taking in the scene around him. It was just as he remembered it - full of death and hopelessness. He sighed, knowing that whatever this test was, he wasn't going to like it.

"What do you think is going to happen?" McKay asked quietly.

Beckett jumped in surprise, having forgotten McKay was with him, then shook his head. "I wish I knew."

"Hey, isn't that the Chancellor?"

Beckett turned in the direction McKay was pointing. Sure enough, the Chancellor was walking towards the two, a vial in his hand, and a determined expression on his face. "Doctor Beckett. It's ready."

"What's ready?" Beckett asked, not sure he wanted to know the answer.

"The antidote. Perna has volunteered to test it." The Chancellor held out the vial, which was filled with a pale red liquid. Beckett took it, holding it up gingerly. "She is this way, Doctor Beckett."

Beckett followed the Chancellor to Perna's bed, McKay hot on his heels. "How is this a test?" Beckett muttered out of the side of his mouth.

"I'm not sure, exactly," McKay responded. "But remember, Perna's the apparition the vapour puts in front of you. Maybe that has something to do with it."

Beckett nodded, then stopped, his heart rising into his throat.

There she was, just as he remembered her, lying pale and weak on the bed.

"Pearna..."

Perna smiled at him. "Carson, you came."

Beckett nodded, kneeling beside the bed. "I'm here, I promise."

"Don't worry, Carson, the antidote will work, I know it will."

Beckett nodded, tears brimming in his eyes.

In that moment, he forgot about the test, forgot about the vapour - forgot even about McKay, standing nearby. All he knew was that Perna needed him. This was his one chance to try again, to save her.

After a moment, Beckett rose, and held out his hand for the vial, picking up a needle from the bedside table.

McKay watched Beckett, his heart filling with dread. Something was wrong. Something was terribly wrong, and McKay suddenly realized what it was.

"Carson, don't do it."

Intent on filling the needle with the antidote, Beckett didn't even look at McKay. "I have to, Rodney. I have a chance to save her."

"This is the vapour you're saving, Carson, not Perna. Perna's gone."

McKay took an involuntary step back as Beckett rounded on him, face filled with fury. "What do you know about it?" he spat. "You've never lost someone you loved."

McKay shook his head. "No, I'm losing someone I love." He tried to keep the fear out of his voice, hoping his calmness would calm down Beckett.

It didn't work.

"I doubt you even have the capacity to love," Carson said scathingly.

McKay blinked, tears brimming in his eyes. "You don't mean that," he stammered. "It's the vapour speaking."

"It bloody well is me."

McKay shook his head. "Listen to yourself, Carson. This isn't you. Please, just listen to me. That's not Perna."

A moment later, McKay found himself on the floor, the world spinning in front of him, his cheek burning where Beckett had hit him. He cowered as Beckett loomed over him, his face menacing. "Rodney, get the hell out of here."

"No." McKay shook his head desperately. He didn't know what to do, how to make Beckett see that this was the test.

He had a sinking feeling that maybe...maybe he was too late.

No. One last try, c'mon Rodney, you can do it.

McKay thought for a moment, as Beckett turned back to Perna.

"Carson, can I ask you something?" he asked quietly.

Beckett turned to McKay, snarling. "What?"

"What did Perna say to you, just before she died? Do you even remember?"

Beckett lifted his hand, and McKay threw his up in defence. "Please, Carson. Just try."

After a tense moment, Beckett nodded shortly, and closed his eyes. McKay watched as his expression went from angry, to sad, to resigned, to - McKay couldn't have described the last emotion on Beckett's face, only that it filled his heart with relief.

"She - she said - " Beckett stopped, swallowing hard. Suddenly, it was Perna's voice that filled the room, soft and gentle.

"I'm at peace with what I have done, as you should be."

"I wish I had no part in this."

"You gave us hope."

McKay watched Beckett anxiously. "Carson?"

For a moment that seemed to stretch into eternity, Beckett remained silent, eyes clenched tight. Then...

"Thank you, Rodney." Carson put down the needle, turning to the figure in the bed. "I'm sorry, I can't change the past." He turned away, right into McKay's waiting arms.

A moment later, the hospital faded into blackness.

"Did, did I pass the test?" Carson asked, his voice more than a little shaky.

Rodney nodded, enveloping his friend in a hug. "Yeah, you did."
They waited for a moment in the darkness, before McKay asked, "Um, Carson?"

"Yeah?"

"How do we get out of here?"

"Er..."

As if on cue, a sliver of light appeared in front of the two, growing steadily, to reveal an open doorway. Reluctantly, McKay released Beckett. "Guess we should, uh, get going, huh?"

"Yeah," Beckett turned to leave. Suddenly, without knowing the reason why, the doctor turned, staring into the blackness. He jumped as he saw the figure standing there.

"More than words, Carson."

Carson smiled, then turned, and followed McKay out into the bright winter's day.

Sheppard and Ford were waiting, their faces pale and drawn.

"Did it work?" Sheppard asked quietly. "Is the bug gone?"

Carson started. He had totally forgotten about his spinal intruder. Hesitantly, he raised a shaking hand to the back of his neck - then let it fall again, his face grim. "No."

McKay shook his head. "Now what?" he asked. "We may have defeated the emotional pull of the vapour, but we still need to get the damn thing out. There has to be a way!"
Beckett stared at McKay for a moment. Never in his entire time at Atlantis had he heard McKay speak so forcefully. "Don't worry, Rodney, we'll find a way."

"There must a clue on that box, somewhere..." McKay said thoughtfully after a moment. "I'll have another look at it once we return to Atlantis, see if there wasn't something I missed."

Suddenly, everyone jumped, as Beckett slapped his hand to his forehead. "Of course!"

"Of course what?" McKay asked.

Then he stared, as Beckett unzipped his jacket, throwing it on to the snow. It was quickly joined by his gloves, scarf, hat and shirt.

"Carson, what are you doing?" McKay asked slowly, giving Beckett a look that clearly suggested he thought the good doctor was out of his mind. Ford and Sheppard echoed the expression.

Carson laughed. "Don't worry, I'm perfectly sane," he assured them. When their expressions didn't change, he hastened to clarify.

"When I opened the box, the temperature in the quarantine unit dropped to below freezing. I'm guessing cold temperatures render the vapour dormant, which would cause it to revert to it's original form."

Understanding dawned in McKay's eyes. Sheppard and Ford still looked skeptical, but Beckett had anticipated that. He raced for the nearest snowbank, spun around - and jumped back into the bank, letting the full force of the snow hit his neck.

A moment later, the world exploded in pain. Carson let out a scream, then found himself enveloped in darkness for the second time that day.


"I think he's coming around."

"Wow, you figure that one all by yourself?"

Carson opened his eyes slowly, then slammed them back shut. The first thing he realized was that his head felt like someone had taken a jackhammer to it. On second thought, make that ten jackhammers. The second thing was that he was back in Atlantis, in the infirmary to be exact.

"Doctor Beckett is going to need rest."

"Doctor Beckett is going to need information, and I don't trust you."

Beckett groaned. "Rodney," he croaked. "I only have three other qualified doctors in this bloody city. Please don't scare them all away."

He was rewarded with a snort, presumably from Dr. Leonard. "Trust me, Doctor. I'm anything but scared."
Beckett chuckled, then tried opening his eyes a second time. Finding the pain a little more bearable, he left them open, turning to McKay. "I think you've met your match."

McKay eyed Dr. Leonard skeptically. "I doubt that very much, thank you." Then he turned back to Beckett, absentmindly stroking his bruised cheek. "How're you feeling?"

"That depends. Do I still have a bloody beetle embedded in my neck?"

"Nope. Your plan worked." McKay continued to stroke his cheek, then flinched and let his hand fall. "Ouch. You hit hard."

"I'm sorry, Rodney, I really am." Beckett did feel sorry, he really did - but he was having trouble keeping a straight face. The look on McKay's face reminded him way too much of a pouting child, and Beckett was having a hard time resisting the urge to ask McKay if he wanted it kissed better.

"You look it." McKay glowered for a moment, then gave up. "Anyway, we left the bug on the planet. The locals assured us they would take care of it."
Beckett nodded. "Good. I really wouldn't want that thing back on Atlantis."

McKay chuckled, then stood up to leave.

"Rodney..."

McKay paused, looking at Beckett curiously. "What?"

"Thank you."

McKay shrugged. "Hey, what are friends for? Only, next time - don't punch me," he added, headed for the door.

Beckett grinned wickedly behind the physicist's back, giving in finally to tempation.

"Aww...poor thing. Want me to kiss it better?"

He was rewarded by McKay's face growing a vibrant shade of red. "That's very funny," he replied sarcastically.

Beckett just laughed.