A/N: Chapter 14 is here, one more to go and it's done! I really hope you're not dissapointed. I can't believe it's been almost two months since I started this. Thanks to all those that review.
Chapter XIV: Decisions and Apologies
His world had become a mix of senses, of touch, sound and smell. He could hear things but he couldn't for the love of it identify what he was hearing. The smell was familiar but all his mind remembered was him still hanging from the ceiling of the dungeon. His body felt different though, although the action of moving his fingers did give him pain nonetheless. He heard his name but he couldn't identify who was calling out to him. Who the hell is calling me?
He wanted nothing more than to be more aware. He so wanted to know who was calling him, but sleep took over once more. The voice faded again as he slowly drifted away.
He slowly opened his eyes but squinted when met with too many bright lights, filling the room. His memories were shady to say the least, so he had not much of an idea of where he was or how long he had been there? At this point it was, however, more important for him to find out where he was, if he was still in his dungeon having some form of hallucination or if he had died and had gone straight to heaven.
His brain was suddenly filled with the very last memories he had. His team had come back for him and Amara had been helping them. John blinked and turned his gaze to his side where he noticed Elizabeth sitting in a chair next to his bed. She hadn't noticed he was awake until he caught her attention with a soft hello.
Startled Elizabeth looked up and immediately started to smile widely. She quickly walked out of the room to return seconds later with Dr. Beckett in tow. "Glad to have you back, John." Elizabeth said, while Dr. Beckett checked on Sheppard's vitals. John again tried to remember what happened and where he was. He knew now that he was home safe and sound, well that had yet to be determined, and very, very far away from Elek and Toulnya.
Dr. Beckett started checking John, starting with pointing his penlight into the Major's eyes, "Can you hear me, lad?" Sheppard tried unsuccessfully to shield his eyes from the annoying light, "Loud and clear… Could you stop doing that?" His voice was hoarse, but Carson just smiled and looked at Elizabeth, "He will be alright."
"So Doc, care to fill me in?" Carson started explaining about John's injuries, the dislocated shoulder, the trauma to his leg, dehydration, and how lucky he was his friends had found him just in time. Naturally John drifted in and out of the explanation. He knew all too well he had been in a bad shape and didn't really need Beckett reminding him of that. The memory of Maur and the spiked stick, and what he intended to do with it, flashed before his eyes. John shivered, if he hadn't been able to move out of the way he would have been singing soprano by now.
Carson finished his exam with checking for a pulse in Sheppard's injured leg, "I'd say you were very lucky. If they had been able to hit the artery, you would have probably lost your leg."
"Lucky me." Sarcasm was clear in John's voice. Carson smiled and even though the Major was barely awake, he had the impression that the man would be just fine. "I'd say you're on your way to a full recovery."
What John managed to rest that morning, it was all depleted by the afternoon, as all the members of his team crashed into the infirmary to see him. It got to the point where Carson had to throw everyone out as John had started to show signs of wanting to escape the infirmary.
The next day John was allowed to move within the confinements of his bed, and he was allowed to sit in the chair standing next to his bed. He had his left arm in a sling, easing his shoulder and giving it time to heal. He could barely move his right leg, which gave him not much of a choice than to stay in the vicinity of his bed. Carson had given him a chat first thing in the morning about the physical therapy he would need in order to get all his limbs to function properly again, especially the ones damaged by the nasty aliens.
The next few days all John Sheppard saw were positive attitudes, not a person who dared to in any way negative in his neighborhood. He had also noticed that no one had mentioned Amara, not even once in all the time they had been back and he had been awake. He wondered if something had happened to her. There were so many things he still didn't know about, like how they had managed to get off the planet in the first place. He knew it hadn't been easy the first time they had done that, or at least try to do just that in his case. Every time Rodney or Ford started explaining the massive event, Dr. Beckett would step in and throw them out of the infirmary, always saying his patient needed rest and that they could explain later.
John knew that the best person to get him filled in on the situation was Rodney; he would be easier to persuade. He decided that the next time he'd see Rodney he'd ask him about it and he was absolutely sure answers would be received. The day passed by and John stayed good boy all day, doing his exercises, eating when he was supposed to. The leg was still bugging him, but with the help of Carson he was able to keep the pain at bay.
Finally at night John got his chance to talk to Rodney as he arrived in the infirmary. Before he could start blabbering about things he had discovered, John asked him what had occurred on the planet when he had been busy trying to stay alive for as long as possible. "So Rodney, what happened back on the planet?" Rodney opened his mouth to say something but changed his mind and closed it again. McKay had a pretty good idea where John was aiming at. "Rodney?" The scientist let his gaze go over the infirmary, making sure no one would or could interrupt them and started explaining about what had happened to Elek, to Amara and what she had done.
"Where is Amara now? Was she hurt?" Rodney eyed John cautiously, and then told him about Amara's encounter with the Wraith.
"Where is she now?" Rodney sat in silence for a moment. John could barely stand it, "Rodney, where is she?"
"She is ok! She was given an empty living quarter. But she's been placed under guard."
"Under guard?" John felt a sudden rush of anger. "Why? How could you let Elizabeth make her a prisoner?" Rodney already regretted telling him what had happened. "She saved our buts, Rodney!" The whole situation was starting to go seriously beyond John's comprehension.
"Yes, but it was because of her that we got in trouble in the first place. This wasn't my idea, it was Bates idea, and Elizabeth agreed."
"I can't believe this! I want to see Weir. Now!"
"Hey, I don't like it anymore than you do. But what can I do? Dr. Weir is the one in charge here." With this Rodney got up as quickly as possible and bolted out of the infirmary. John couldn't wait for someone to come back, so with his good arm he took off the bed covers and slowly started to get out of the bed he was in. At first he cursed himself for even thinking he was able to leave, his leg was heavily protesting against the movements he was making. He held on to the bed, using the hand of his good arm. His head swirled for a bit trying to adapt to the sudden change. It was right at that moment that Doctor Elizabeth Weir chose to walk into the infirmary, "Major Sheppard, what are you doing?"
"What have you done to Amara?" John was furious. Elizabeth closed in on him, trying effortlessly to calm him down, "John, we did it as a precaution." John tried to walk, but his leg protested dearly, "You do remember it is because of her that I'm back." Elizabeth was still closing in on him, "Yes, but we still don't know what her true intentions are." John gave Weir a murderous glare. She was now standing next to his side, ready to support him if he let her, "John, Rodney told me what she did back on her planet. That alone was a very powerful thing, but I don't think she was aware of her abilities until that moment. Who knows what else she was programmed to do?"
Promptly the memory of her talking to Amara a few days earlier came to mind. She was already in her new quarters and Elizabeth had walked in, only to find Amara sitting on her bed staring at the wall. Her back was turned to the door and as a result also at Elizabeth. Amara's staring made her wonder if the whole ordeal she had gone through hadn't snapped something inside the woman's mind.
"Hello." Elizabeth said tentatively but Amara didn't move. Elizabeth moved in closer, grabbing a chair on the way and sat herself down near the bed. "May I have a word with you?" Elizabeth was again answered with silence. Amara hadn't even turned around.
But before Elizabeth could continue her monologue, Amara spoke up, "I can not be like this forever. I did not give up my life on Toulnya to come here and live in the same conditions." Elizabeth was taken back by Amara's statement, but remained calm, "This is a precaution I would take with anyone, it isn't just you."
"I am under guard; you blame me for what happened." So that's what it was all about, she was feeling guilty. "This is just a temporary situation; we need to know more about you before we can allow you to roam free around the city."
"You know all there is to know about me. I understand why I am like this but I cannot stay like this forever. I have nothing else to tell you." Elizabeth knew that with these words the conversation was over. All that was left for her to do was to get up and leave, which she did but not before catching something Amara said to her. "How is John Sheppard?" Elizabeth turned around and smiled, even though she had not intended on doing so. "He's getting better, but he hasn't regained consciousness yet." She saw Amara nod and satisfied Elizabeth left the room.
That had all happened the day before John had woken up, which reminded her had yet to tell Amara about John. But at the moment she was more concerned about the man himself who was enraged by her decision to put the one who had helped them under guard. She was trying hard to calm him down. He was reluctant in returning to the bed, even with the constant pain in his leg. "John, I spoke with her, and she understands, I hope you will too."
John shifted a bit, "I want to see her." Elizabeth nodded comprehending the situation, "Let's give it a couple of days. Get better first, or at least a bit better than now. It'll be better for her to see you in the best shape possible." John finally gave up and returned to his bed. Elizabeth was putting the bed covers back on John, tucking him in. He stared back at her, "How is she?" Elizabeth thought of the right answer, clearly Amara wasn't in the best shape herself. "Physically she's fine, but emotionally she's a wreck. Dr. Beckett thinks she might fall into a depression if we're not careful. She is showing all the symptoms, maybe seeing you will help. But you need to be rested; otherwise I will not allow Dr. Beckett to let you leave this room."
John nodded slowly. If what Elizabeth was saying was the truth then he needed to be as good as he could get. "Elizabeth, could you get Carson for me, I might need some of his happy juice for my leg." Elizabeth nodded and smiled. He definitely didn't loose his sense of humor. Good! He'll be fine then.
A/N: Laheara, I hope you don't mind I used the happy juice remark you wrote on the review, when I saw it it inspired the last part of this chapter. I loved it. Now everyone remember to R&R
