Author's Note: It's here! Finally, an update. I apologize for the gap but I warned you smile. I want to thank you all for reading and putting up with the lack of updates (no one has sent me nasty-grams LOL). Rudhweth, I wasn't irritated at all by your request, matter of fact I'm very flattered by it and thrilled! I'm going to try and get your idea written this weekend (or Monday) if I can. I've got a lab report to write and a stats test to study for but otherwise I'm doing good so I may have time. Anyway, I hope to get some further chapters up without the huge delay. As always I love the reviews, love to hear from you guys and though I don't often mention you all individually, it makes my day (week...year...month) when I see that people are enjoying what I've written!

Chapter Three

Ancient's Virus

"Why do you always touch things?" Sheppard muttered. He was sitting hunched over, in some chair near the lab. He couldn't believe that things had gotten complicated again.

McKay didn't reply. He continued pecking at the keyboard interface and opted to shoot Sheppard a disgusted look as his only answer. He knew they were in trouble. If his hunch was right, they were in a lot of trouble. Sheppard didn't know about the Ancient's virus that SG-1 had encountered in Antarctica...but he did. If his suspicions were correct, they were in the lab where it had all begun.

Sheppard straightened, his brow furrowed in concentration, "They're back."

"Go get them superman." Rodney said, a small jab at Sheppard's abilities to use the Ancient tech with fluid ease. He wasn't a jealous man by nature...okay, he was...but Sheppard made everyone else with the gene appear incompetent.

"You're jealous." Sheppard mock-whispered and headed towards the chair that controlled the transporter in the outpost leaving McKay alone to consider that he was too readable.

"Open book McKay." He said to himself under his breath before turning his attention back onto the displayed information on the screen.

Sheppard had barely straightened the chair from its reclined position when suited figures in haz-mat gear were appearing at the edge of the corridor. He pushed himself up, and strolled towards them. "What's with the suits?"

The one in the lead was Beckett. He seemed relieved to see Sheppard. "Protection Major."

"Protection from what?" Sheppard asked, not entirely sure he wanted to know, but he was talking to Beckett's back as the man headed towards McKay's location.

"Protection from what?" He repeated louder, trailing after the group.

McKay looked up as they approached his area and paled at the sight of the suits. "Oh this isn't good."

No one answered him. Suited members of the Atlantis team that had returned with Beckett, Ford and Teyla begin setting up a temporary infirmary and research area. They unpacked cots and equipment with efficiency.

Sheppard sidled towards McKay, "Please tell me you've found something."

McKay had, but he wasn't sure it was good news, "The Ancient's created this virus."

"So it's a virus we're dealing with." Sheppard said, hope falling at the thought.

"Yes, and it gets worse."

"I don't need to hear that."

McKay scrubbed a hand over his eyes. He was tired and though time passed differently on other planets, it was night in Atlantis. "It gets worse." He repeated.

"You've said that."

"Major, you don't know this, but SG-1 and some members of the Antarctica team encountered an Ancient, frozen alive, about two years ago."

Sheppard's face twisted in surprise, "Alive?"

"Yes, but she was sick. She was harboring some virus that almost killed everyone. The only reason they are alive is because the Ancient was able to heal them before succumbing to the virus herself." McKay didn't bother to go into the story regarding O'Neill.

Sheppard didn't need to say it out loud; there was no Ancient to heal them if that was what was in the petri dish.

"It was." McKay confirmed his unspoken thought. He'd found a catalog of lab equipment and experiments. The last entries had confirmed work on a virus. "They were trying to find a weapon against the wraith. They hoped by infecting themselves they could infect the wraith. The virus would then mutate throughout the wraith population, killing them."

A whistle off to their left startled both men. Ford had heard the conversation. "So what happened?"

McKay shrugged, "I don't know. The last entry mentions the virus had passed preliminary tests."

"They never tested it on the Wraithsicle?" Ford asked. His voice was tinged with a nasal edge from the suit.

"I don't know." McKay figured he had learned a lot, but not near enough. "Obviously something happened beyond here if the Ancient on Earth was exposed."

"Keep looking." Sheppard ordered, "And find out how much time we've got."

Sheppard tugged the material on Ford's shoulder and pulled him to the side. "We've got to talk." He headed towards a relatively empty alcove, and waved Teyla over when she watched their progression.

"Ford, if anything happens to McKay and myself you'll be in charge."

Teyla frowned, "Surely you don't expect..."

"I don't know." Sheppard cut her off, "But that's why it's important to consider what might happen. We've got a sizeable civilian component on this planet and let's not forget there's a wraith sitting on ice a few feet away."

Teyla was reminded again of why she trusted a man who had been a stranger to her only months ago. She nodded.

Ford didn't look happy, but he agreed, "Will they listen?"

"Beckett will and they'll listen to Beckett. Trust yourself Ford. You've got good instincts. I trust you; otherwise you wouldn't be on my team. Both of you." He added. He wiped his sleeve against his forehead, surprised to find he was sweating. He unzipped his jacket wearily and hoped it wouldn't come down to Ford having to assume command. He saw the two watching him with concern. "What?" He snapped.

"Your hot." Ford said, his voice flat.

Sheppard's mouth crooked involuntarily, "Gee Lieutenant, I'm flattered."

"I mean it. You need to see Beckett." Ford wasn't in the mood for games.

Teyla shot worried glances from Ford to Sheppard. John did look ill. His face was flushed unnaturally in the cool caverns of the outpost. "He's right."

Sheppard grimaced. "Fine." Inwardly he couldn't fight down the surge of fear. He hadn't envisioned some virus being the cause of his death and damned if he'd let it without a fight.

"Lay down Major." Beckett ordered.

Sheppard was sitting awkwardly on the edge of a cot, his hair tousled and a rough look caused by stubble appearing on his chin. He shook his head, "I prefer to sit."

Beckett frowned, "This isn't multiple choice. Lay down."

Sheppard sighed, but lie back, closing his eyes briefly. "Why do you need me to lay down?" He may have done as told but he wasn't going to give in without complaining.

"Because you look like crap." Beckett snapped. He shoved a thermometer into Sheppard's mouth before he could protest and strapped a blood pressure cuff on his arm. He turned to the tray set up beside the bed and lifted a syringe and several clear tubes for blood.

"What's that for?" Sheppard mumbled around the thermometer. He didn't like needles...not that many people did.

Beckett smiled. He was used to this reaction. "We need to run tests."

Tests. Sheppard didn't like the position he found himself in. He was turning into a lab rat. As a shiver ran through his muscles, a sick lab rat, he thought. "Where's McKay?" He asked, not seeing him at the computer where he had left him earlier.

The beeping told Beckett the thermometer was finished. He took the instrument and read the LCD, 101.6 degrees Fahrenheit. He unconsciously pursed his lips together, not happy with the number. He had hoped it would've been less. He took a moment to take a good look at Sheppard. His face was flushed with fever, eyes bright with that liquidy look they tended to get, but he appeared okay for the most part. "A hundred and one point six." He said, seeing the question in his expression.

Sheppard rolled his eyes, irritated; he hadn't had a fever in years. "Where's McKay?" He asked again. Beckett was hiding something.

"He's around...somewhere."

"Beckett, the last I checked I'm still in charge. Where is McKay?"

Carson sighed, "He went to run some tests on the wraith."

Sheppard sat up, ripping the blood pressure cuff off, "What?"

"Relax, he's getting the readings from the Ancient's stasis monitor." Beckett pushed Sheppard back smoothly, reattaching the cuff.

"Is he sick yet?"

"No. We think it's affecting you worse because you're...more Ancient." Beckett stumbled on the last of his explanation.

"More Ancient?" Sheppard asked incredulous.

Beckett shifted, "Basically."

The object of their conversation came running around the corner, "I've found something!"

Sheppard moved to sit up for the second time, but Beckett was a step ahead of him, and placed a restricting hand against his chest. He fixed an irritated look at Beckett but relaxed his muscles, "You've found the answers to all our problems. You can cure us and we can go home."

McKay scowled, but it didn't last. "No. But they did infect the wraith."

"And this helps us how?"

"Because it didn't work." McKay said, excited.

"This is good news?" Sheppard knew he wasn't feeling good but normally he considered his mind pretty quick. He wasn't getting the connection here.

But apparently Beckett was. He was grinning from ear to ear, "It is." He said.

Sheppard looked from Beckett to McKay, sighed, "Would someone tell me why?"

"Major, what happens when the bodies immune system defeats a virus?" Beckett asked, his manor intense.

Sheppard thought about it and his mind made the connections, his face relaxed into a wide smile, "Antibodies." He breathed.

McKay nodded, excited, "That wraith holds the cure."