A/N: Beaker is just another word for scientist. I didn't actually come up with the term I had a teacher who used it to describe scientists - annoyed the hell out of all the science teachers so of course the students had to start using it. I think it had something to do with one of those Muppet characters or something, I'm not exactly sure.

The song 'Bridge Over Troubled Water' belongs to Johnny Cash.

'means signing'

Hurrying down the corridor towards his room John briefly glanced at his watch. Four hours, he'd been gone four hours; Elizabeth was going to kill him for being gone so long. Since Elizabeth was the only other person besides John that Kilik would be alone with, with out throwing a fit she'd been roped into babysitting duty. He hadn't meant to be gone so long, but after dealing with the minor dispute that had come up between some of the soldiers Rodney had cornered him into playing lab rat activating Ancient technology.

Quietly entering his room John stopped in the doorway taking in the scene before him. Discarded pieces of paper covered in childish scribbles littered the floor along with the spare computer parts John had liberated from Rodney - John had claimed they were the closest thing to toys they had in the city. In one corner a couple of chairs had been set up with a blanket over them forming a small tent of sorts.

On the bed sat Elizabeth, back to the door, facing a displeased Kilik, who should have been in bed an hour ago. John could tell from Elizabeth's slightly disheveled look, Kilik was being stubborn about going to bed, not that John blamed him for not wanting to go to bed. John had only been in the Sa'taree prison for a few weeks and he still had trouble sleeping, but Kilik had been there for years.

Watching as Elizabeth tried getting Kilik to sleep John smirked. She'd obviously never dealt with a kid who didn't want to go to bed.

"So I take it you nephew was never stubborn about going to bed." Hearing John's voice Elizabeth jumped and swung around to face him.

Of course this was just the thing Kilik had been waiting for. The second Elizabeth had been distracted by John, Kilik carefully slipped off the bed and made a discrete dive for the open closet.

"John sorry I didn't hear you come in. I was just trying to…" Elizabeth trailed off as she turned back and realized Kilik was no longer on the bed with her. "Kilik?"

"Closet." John supplied, making no move to leave the doorway to help.

"Closet?" Elizabeth glanced at the closet.

"Yup. Every time I try to get him to go to bed he puts up a fuss then makes a B-line for the closet. Don't know why, although I could probably give you a theory but I try to leave the theory stuff to the Beakers, you know how they like playing around with their theories."

"Really? And just how do you get him out?" Elizabeth had moved from the bed to over by the closet.

"What makes you think I do get him out?" John's smirk grew a bit.

"John." Elizabeth could tell John was enjoying this just a bit too much.

"Alright, alright." Choosing self-preservation over amusement John moved from the door to the closet.

Flopping down on the floor John laid half in half out of the closet. Elizabeth watched as John just laid on the floor not moving, after a few minutes she heard the rustling of clothes and saw John shift from laying on his side to his back with Kilik snuggled in the crook of his arm, head resting on John's chest and one arm around his waist. What happened next shocked Elizabeth a bit, John had started singing softly and he was pretty good too. Listening closer Elizabeth allowed a small grin to form, of course John would be singing a Johnny Cash song - no real surprise there the man did worship the singer.

"When you're weary, feeling small,
When tears are in your eyes, I will dry
them all; I'm on your side.

When times get rough
And friends just can't be found,
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down.
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down.

When you're down and out,
When you're on the street,
When evening falls so hard
I will comfort you.
I'll take your part.
When darkness comes
And pain is all around,
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down.
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down.

Sail on silvergirl,
Sail on by.
Your time has come to shine.
All your dreams are on their way.
See how they shine.
If you need a friend
I'm sailing right behind.
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind.
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind."

Done John carefully inched out of the closet bringing a clearly sound a sleep Kilik with him. Moving away from the closet John spotted a grinning Elizabeth.

"What?" John questioned as he gently put Kilik in bed.

"Johnny Cash?" Elizabeth raised a playful eyebrow.

"Hey it worked for me as a kid. Besides there's nothing wrong with making sure the kid has a respect for the classics."

"Whatever works I guess."

"Exactly. Now you can help me clean up after the tornado that tore through here. You know it's amazing how tornados only seem to form inside when children are around. Maybe we should have Rodney and his beakers look into that."

"Oh I'm sure he'd be thrilled about that."

Half an hour later the two had the place cleaned up and John was just about to walk Elizabeth to her room - it was just down the corridor from his so he felt it was ok to leave Kilik alone for the few minutes it took to walk Elizabeth to her room - when a small thud caught their attention. Stepping back into the room the two found Kilik, tangled his his blanket and sheets, had fallen off the bottom of the bed onto the floor.

"Kilik?" John cautiously moved towards the boy. Kneeling John could see that Kilik's eyes were wide and fearful.

Kilik, not fully awake and free of his nightmare, didn't acknowledge John but instead lurched backwards skirting around to the other side of the bed. Worried both John and Elizabeth followed. Reaching the other side of the bed they found Kilik, shaking like a leaf, had wedged himself into the small nook between the bed and the dresser. Elizabeth was about to approach the obviously terrified child when John grabbed her arm, gently restraining her.

"Easy, you try going anywhere near him right now and you're liable to end up with a bloody nose, trust me I know...Just give him a minute." John whispered.

As soon as John was sure Kilik was more or less awake he inched forward and eased himself to the floor bring Elizabeth with him. Slowly John extended his hand towards Kilik and waited, making no other movement. With sluggish and shaky movments Kilik grabbed John's hand pulling himself into John's waiting arms.

"Shhh...it's ok, you're ok." John soothed the frightened child, rubbing his back. "Go back to sleep, you're safe...I'm right here."

'No sleep!' Kilik signed sloppily with one hand, wiping at his eyes with the other.

"It's alright you can go back to sleep John and I aren't going any where, we'll be right here when you wake up." Elizabeth soothingly cupped the side of Kilik's tear staind face and wiped the tears away with her thumbs.

Still rubbing Kilik's back John started rocking the boy slightly and huming the tune of the song he'd sang earlier. Soon Kilik's eyes drifted shut and his breathing evened out telling the two adults that he was once again asleep. Not wanting to risk Kilik waking up again John and Elizabeth stayed right where they were for the rest of the night, taking turns between dozing and watching Kilik sleep.