The Journey

Chapter 3

A/N: I spent forever tweaking this chapter, but never managed to get it quite the way I wanted.

Carson Beckett had never felt this sore before in his life and he had participated in some less fair soccer matches in his youth. He was sore to the point that even breathing hurt. He couldn't move. He tried to open his eyes but he couldn't muster up the energy to do so. It was as if he was buried beneath a layer of concrete. Everything was pitch black and silent. He couldn't move and all he felt was soreness, punctuated by the occasional stabbing pain in his bones. He had no idea what had happened, the last thing he clearly recalled was getting ready for the mission to Athos, but yet for some reason he wasn't scared. He knew that he would be all right eventually. Even as he thought it, the weight that held him down lightened and he could breathe without pain. He gingerly opened his eyes. At first, all he saw was vague light and blurred shape, but after a few seconds his vision cleared up and he got a clear view of his surroundings. He was on the ground just outside of a big unfamiliar building, with elaborately decorated walls. The ground he was lying on was covered with a colourful mosaic, showing various geometric forms. Beckett frowned, trying to recall what had happened. A woman, the image of a woman clad in a white robe came to mind. A desert, he had been in a desert. John had been there as well. But whatever planet he was on now had lush green vegetation. Where was the rest of the team? John was there with him, a few meters away from him. But he was either, asleep or unconscious. Seeing John triggered his memory. Athos. The mission to Athos. They had been trying to find a cure for John. Their last chance to save his life. They had been looking for an entrance to the temple. That was the last thing he recalled.

Beckett carefully got up, but to his surprise he didn't even feel sore. The pain he had been in just minutes ago had completely disappeared. Astounded but not displeased, he went to John's side. As he had feared John wasn't doing well. He felt heat when he reached out to touch the other man's forehead. The fever which had plagued John for days had once again risen to dangerous levels. His entire body was suffering under the strain of the genetic changes that had been triggered by the experience on Arona. It was only be a matter of time before his lungs and heart gave up the fight. John had three or four hours left at best. Since they had arrived on Athos his conditions had only worsened as he had pushed himself to do far more than what was reasonable for someone in his condition. Dr. Beckett jerked back, suddenly becoming aware that he had kept contact with John's forehead for the entire time while the details about his patient's conditions just popped into his mind. He wasn't doing anything, he just knew. It was like an automatic response to his touch. A bit scared, but also intrigued, Beckett took John's hand, this time actively concentrating on the details of his condition. At first nothing happened but then, just like before, he felt the too low blood pressure and the slight dehydration caused to too little drink in the hot weather. Wishing he had brought more water with him from the jumper that was parked on top of the cliff, Beckett was about to get up when he noticed that his most recent thought had promoted a change in John. He could no longer feel any sign of dehydration. Now, realization started to dawn on him. The ancients had had the ability to heal. He had come across the report of the mission to Antarctica during his research regarding the gene therapy. He had long since hypothesized that there were several ancient genes and John had proven the point when his genetic profile had started to change, nearly killing him in the process. John might not be the only human, or rather not entirely human person to have more than one Ancient gene. Beckett took both of John's hands into his, closed his eyes and actively concentrated on him getter better. He imagined the strain on his heart and lungs diminishing and his fever going down. He didn't know what he was doing, he just did what seemed natural.

When Teyla approached the patio like structure where she had left John behind, she couldn't believe what she saw. John was lying supine on the stone floor and a man, who looked exactly like Carson Beckett was kneeling next to him. On alert, she drew her gun. This was too elaborate to be a hallucination created by the Wraith, but it had to be a trick. She had been there when Dr, Beckett had died less than an hour ago. It was impossible that he could have survived the impact with the stone wall. Before she had a chance to approach the two, John got up to his feet with the aid of Dr, Beckett. He turned around and spotted her.

"Hey Teyla, come over here. You won't believe what just happened!" John called out to her, wave with his hand. Teyla was surprised to see him standing up. He had been unconscious when she had left him and although she has tried hard not to show it, she had been very worried that it might be indeed to late for him and that they might not find a cure in time. Lowering her weapon, but still keeping it ready, she joined John and Carson near the building. She was just about to comment on the unexpected presence of Dr. Beckett, when they heard a voice from within the building.

"Guys, you have to see this. It's really…" Dr. McKay broke off as he stepped outside coming face to face with a man he had believed to be dead.

"This is not happening." He stated flatly. "You can't …you were dead." He stared at Beckett.

"Dr. Beckett has turned out to be the Healer that the prophecy has spoken of. Like the ancestors, he heals by the power of his mind." Teyla attempted to explain, but confused McKay even further.

"I thought you and John were doing that prophecy bit." McKay managed after a pause, still trying to get his mind wrapped around what he was seeing.

"We are. But you see, in for a penny, in for a pound. And , yes. Thanks, doc. It was really time." John grinned.

"Glad I could help you. Teyla, I'll have to have a look at your back later on. You're not fully healed yet and shouldn't be running around yet either." Beckett said. Finding back to his usual role as the city's doctor. He didn't quite know how to deal with the sudden attention to his person, especially since he didn't have any answers about his apparent return from the dead.

"But you were dead." McKay sounded accusatory. He still couldn't believe what had happened. He had seen quite a few things in the past three years that he wouldn't have thought possible, but nothing like this. People just didn't come back from the dead.

"Look, I can't explain it either. All I know is that I'm not dead and that somehow the Ancient's healing gene must have kicked in. That's the only explanation I can think of." Beckett was at a loss. This was all new to him as well. He wasn't even sure he grasped the entire situation yet.

"You and your genes. Isn't one of them enough?" McKay scoffed at Carson and John.

John and Carson shrugged. McKay would probably never get over the fact that he didn't have the natural version of the ATA gene. For the first time in over a week, John actually felt good.

TBC