Chapter 8
Before Ford could carry out her order, he half dragged Elizabeth to the infirmary. He sat her down and turned to a nurse.
"Watch her, she looks pale."
"Ford, I'm fine. Really."
"Watch her."
"Yessir."
Aiden ran for Teyla, and nearly bumped into her as he rounded the corner.
"What is it; you're breathless."
"Come see."
He guided her to Elizabeth's office and swung open the door.
She gasped.
Blood stained her desk in splashy puddles, and the part that didn't stick dripped to the floor, creating red little trails down the table legs.
Teyla walked in, but her boots peeled off the floor, as the blood tried to cling to her and the tiles.
"We should get it tested," she ran her finger along the table and brought the red liquid up to her eyes, "It looks real."
Teyla ran to the infirmary and told the nurse to go gather samples.
Weir was sitting up in a hard plastic chair sipping on water and nibbling at a sugar cookie.
"You okay, Doctor Weir?"
"Yes, I'll be up soon. Don't worry."
"We have everything under control. Ford went to go get Major Sheppard."
"I hope he comes..."
"He will."
Weir looked at her with a forlorn smile and nodded.
"I'm going to go help the nurse clean your desk. Sit tight, ok?"
"That's all I'm good for at the moment."
Teyla smiled and left. As if he was watching, Kavenah entered as soon as Teyla left. He sat himself down next to Elizabeth.
"How you doing?"
"Better. Thanks for asking."
He smiled, and then whispered something into her ear. Her eyes widened and he clamped his unburned hand over her mouth as she tried to scream.
"Oooh Elizabeth," he whispered again, "I am so much smarter than you."
John laid himself out on a make-shift beach towel, and let his pale skin soak up the sun rays. Next to him, Jinto copied the Major, and was equally sprawled out. When John took a sip of water, Jinto quickly followed, and when the Major slid on sunshades, Jinto slid on his. They were actually John's extra set and they fell off the child's face as they were too big and slid down his nose.
To anyone else, it would seem like the perfect stolen moment of the afternoon. For Jinto, it must have been. But, to the Major, all he could revel in was the events of the past couple of days. It still stung that everyone thought he could actually threaten Elizabeth. Worse however, was the realization that he had once again run from a problem. He had run from a court marshal to work in Antarctica, and now he had run from the brig to settle on the mainland. The Major let out a long sigh, and Jinto did the same.
"Major Sheppard, Major Sheppard!"
"What, Jinto?"
"Tell me another story."
"Ok, alright," he sat up, "Once upon a time, lived the handsomest pilot. He could fly anything that had wings. One day, he soared to a great ice continent where all the fair maidens eagerly awaited his arrival. Only, he only cared for one. They called her the one with the red hair. No one had ever been able to win fair lady's heart. But the pilot was lucky, he had charms and wit galore..."
Teyla and the nurse stared down at the centrifuge, and then back at the chart.
"I can not believe it."
"I can't either."
"It is Doctor Weir's blood. But how?"
Before the nurse could answer, Teyla ripped out a loud yawn, and she quickly followed.
"Whaaa...wahht's that hisss?"
Both turned toward the door, and saw a can puffing out clouds.
"Nooo!" Teyla screamed with her last ounce of energy as she lunged at the door.
But it was locked.
Ford strapped himself into the puddle jumper's pilot seat. It was odd without Sheppard next to him. He tried to start the engine, and there was nothing. In his moment of panic, he realized that he didn't have the ancient gene. And everyone with it was gone. There was no way to reach Sheppard. Everything rested on him. Ford drew in a breath and gathered himself together. He'd be ok...they'd be ok.
He reached to unlock the ship's door, but as he looked through the windshield, he saw the scientist's face gleaming madly.
Not panicking, but not being necessarily calm either, Aiden tore at the lock and banged at the door, but it wouldn't unlock.
"Come on! Come on already!"
But nothing would "come on."
He reached for the radio, but nothing worked because he didn't have the ancient gene. Sadly he watched as the scientist opened a can...and let gas seep through the air.
"And the dashing pilot quickly wooed her," John smiled, even as bile rose in his throat at the thought of leaving Weir alone to deal with her stalker, "But then he left, right as things became troublesome and he and his fair lady were threatened. Basically he was a jerk who was too concerned about keeping his hair looking great that-"
"You skipped some of the story!"
"Yeah, well, that's because the end isn't written yet. There's still time."
With that, he got up and ran toward the Puddle Jumper.
Elizabeth opened her eyes, at first everything was black, she blinked again, and the world came into view. She tried to move her hand, but quickly found that was bounded to a chair as well her legs.
Looking up she frowned.
"Rodney? You, too?"
4