mAuthors Note: This hasn't been beta-read so I apologize if it has grammar/spelling errors in or if the characters sound a bit off. Please let me know what you think of this, complaints, suggestions; any feedback would be helpful as long as it is constructive.

Another chapter and another evil cliffhanger. Just the epilogue after this. And then maybe the sequel if there is call for it, since the sequel's been mostly planned for ages, ironing out the plot holes etc and importantly how to end it...

Spoilers: For Season One episodes 1-14

Disclaimer: I don't own the rights to Stargate in any incarnations of course and I'm not making any money, this is just some harmless fanfic fun.

Chapter 11: Choosing Life

They walked in together, side by side. It was a relatively normal sight but not one he'd ever expected to see. Never in his wildest dreams had he thought Rodney McKay might be alive; and here they were getting ready to practically kill him again.
Rodney smiled as he entered, it was weak and anxious but still genuine. And it was first and foremost directed at Elizabeth Weir, herself oddly calm for the situation.

John frowned at this, not sure what had caused the sudden change. Until he saw the ever so gentle and fleeting brush of their fingers together before they parted, obviously designed to go unnoticed.

Then it all clicked into place.

He smiled lopsidedly and shook his head to himself, not bothering to wipe the lingering smirk off his face as she approached in her mild manner.

"John."
Now they were back on first name basis, and without the tension of before. Instead her eyes held a lightness as if a great burden had been lifted from her. Or a dream come true.

"So, you alright?" he asked, glancing over to Rodney who waited for the nurses to get him ready. Rodney stood waiting for the them. Stood; straight, not fidgeting one bit. No finger tapping or snapping, no pacing – he just waited, patiently.

"As fine as I can be. Why?"Elizabeth said.
There was a hint of worry to her voice that he was sure had nothing to do with Rodney's procedure.

He motioned to Rodney , "You seem to have been rubbing off on him."
It was an innocuous comment, fair to say but he watched her squirm very briefly before she could stop herself. He took pity on her, redirecting the conversation to continues from her last question.
Not that this was much better a topic for her humility if he was right.

"Oh, just that we got some funny reports from the near your quarters. ATA devices randomly turning on. Zelenka's on it but we don't really know why. Someone with the gene must have inadvertently affected them, quite a range but it's as if someone lost control rather than being deliberate. Found a few new things though, kinda useful. We might want to thank them, if we knew who it was."
Through out the his whole mini-speech she remained neutral, amazing him in her restraint.
"So you notice anything unusual?"
How could she get around that one he thought. But she did.
"No, nothing like that."
Simply worded to not be a lie and yet not reveal the truth. If she wanted it like that then she could have it like that, but he was a little disappointed to have the fun end so soon. It wasn't often he could tease Elizabeth and it went down the pan all too soon. There was Rodney but he didn't like to rain on his parade, especially when they weren't quite sure he'd make it.

Carson made his way out into the infirmary. He'd double checked everything he could think of but he was still nervous. Rodney's life depended on him and while as a doctor he was used to that he wasn't used to being attached to patients. It came with a job like this, stuck far out in another galaxy on something akin to a colony and it made it impossible to remain distanced. It was just that so far he'd managed to avoid any such serious situations, with exception of Major Sheppards very similar predicament. As he approached Rodney he grimaced and hoped they'd be that lucky twice.

Oddly Rodney was standing there, quiet, tranquil even. Which was bloody peculiar for the man.
He smiled as he greeted him like it was perfectly normal day. "Carson" he said, with a small bob.
"What're you so pleased about?" he asked thoroughly confused, eyes narrowing in suspicion.

Rodney bobbed again, eyes lighting up as he replied smugly. "Let's just say if I die today I'll die a very happy man."
Carson gave him a once over, wondering if he was insane, if there had been more serous side effects from the torture or the device inhabiting him; but then he noticed Elizabeth looking equally happy, almost glowing and suddenly he could see exactly why.

He took one long glance at her before turning back to his patient. It was nice to see Rodney so jovial despite the prospect of his death but he still didn't want any details."Aye I can see why and lets leave it at that. Moving swiftly on."
The needle came out, Carson popping off the protective cap. Rodney shifted, evidently wishing he was anywhere but there as he reluctantly held out his arm.
He chuckled lightly, relieving some of his nerves, glad to see some things were still the same.

They all sat out side the makeshift theatre where Carson and the other doctors were with Rodney.

He'd explained the plan of operation to her several times, trying to reassure her which was hard because he hadn't convinced himself either.

She went over it again. Carson would inform them of each step. They'd stop his heart, waiting for the minimum amount of time before trying to remove the device that was attached at the back of Rodney's head. It was small, hidden under his hair but stuck out enough that they might be able to get a grasp, avoiding need to operate. That was if they were fortunate because they only had one chance at this. This was the window of opportunity, if they left it any later they might live to regret it and as for Rodney. His chances weren't good or bad, it was a waiting game were they wouldn't know until it happened. It reminded her of something Rodney had once tried to explain at lunch. Schroedinger's cat. The part that still stuck in her memory was that until you opened the box you wouldn't know if the cat was dead or alive. It was a random link to the past, to him, but it made some sense to her right now. A slight comfort to relate it to him as he lay there in wait, anaesthetised, unable to worry about how this would turn out.

"His heart's stopped. We're gonna try ta remove the transmitter now."

Her heart raced at the thought that technically he was dead. Not properly and clinically dead though. As Carson had explained he'd still have brain activity, that he'd still have a chance to be revived as long as that was true.
In the background she vaguely recalled someone speaking, maybe John, reassuring Carson, telling him to do his best.

She got up and paced. She never paced normally but this was different and as Sheppard had so delighted in pointing out earlier, they'd had quite an influence on each other. And she was sure he'd meant more than that, he'd known what had happened. Perhaps it was easy to. After all by the end he'd known she was breaking up over Rodney's death. She'd been right, however, to believe he was alive still. But all she'd had to go on was a dream, a nightmare that she couldn't rationalise to this day. Just another one of the mysteries she hoped wouldn't whip round and come back to bite them in the future. And how would she cope if it came true this time. She didn't want to think like that but it was possible. Possible but not necessary she thought as she shoved the idea back to the recesses of her mind. There was still hope.

The group waited in silence. Zelenka was hunched over in one of the chairs, arms crossed over tightly, bracing his body against his knees. Ford sat motionless, the young man's eyes hidden by his cap but his hand gripped tightly in both Teyla's.She looked up for a moment, eyes meeting Elizabeth's. Teyla simply nodded, saying nothing.
Quite rightly, what could you say at a time like this. There were only two things they were waiting to hear.

"It's out!"
They all heard him, relief in his voice.
But it wasn't over. He wasn't breathing yet, his heart ceased beating, still requiring that push to restart.

It felt like an eternity until Carson spoke again, his emotion not muted this time.
"He's back with us!"

He barely believed the words as they came out of his mouth. It was early days but Rodney was back with them. He watched the rise and fall of his friends chest with satisfaction.

The other doctors were tending to Rodney know that everything was complete. Carson closed his eyes and let out a sigh of relief. It was over, it felt so good for it to be over. He opened his eyes again and pulled down his mask from his mouth, watching them wheel Rodney out back to the main section of the infirmary. He was sure Rodney owed someone up there big time.

His thoughts were disturbed by one of the nurses.
"Dr. Beckett I think you should take another look at this."
There was a clear panic in her voice as she requested his assistance and he wondered what could be wrong. She called him over to where the tray sat on one of the tables. She was leant over it, several instruments in her hand that she was using to touch the device they'd removed from Rodney.

He shuddered at the sight of it, hating to think of it being inside someone's head and glad he hadn't ever had something like that on him. When they'd extracted it there had been straight like metal rods intruding into flesh but there was a clear change in it since removal, making it look like a weird blend of the organic and technology, like nothing else they'd seen. It was certainly wraith, showing certain traits of their design but he'd be damned if he could tell if it was actually partly living or merely imitating a natural style.

He peered at it, moving closer and taking the instruments from Harpreet to see what she'd found.
The things that had looked to be metal were long and floppy now, like dark blue tentacles. He pushed them aside to examine it further.

And he saw exactly what must have alarmed her, because it most definitely alarmed him.
He stared at the dead centre of the underside of the wraith implant. There was a small glowing area, a faint blue pulse that was getting faster as he watched.

"Oh crap."

A/N: I suppose that was rather evil of me to leave it at.

More coming this week hopefully.