A/N: Hello, everyone. I have finally gotten around to posting another chapter to this story. I apologize for staying away for so long. No excuses except that life's little complications seemed to get in the way. Many good things going on…some bad. Anyway, I hope you can forgive me and I understand completely if you've given up on waiting or wanting to read any more of my stuff. This is short but I should have another chapter up by the end of next week.

Chapter 26: Making Progress

Without Elizabeth there to keep him occupied and help him keep his thoughts at bay, the Major had a lot to ruminate about. It tore him up that his teammates, no—his friends, saw him in such a vulnerable state. He still felt that sense of shame. He knew that he could trust Elizabeth to understand what he was going through but it was even hard to open up to her. He felt comfortable with Teyla but he didn't want her to worry over him and put her through any more than she had already been through.

He wasn't sure how his second in command was taking all of this, and Rodney, now that was going to be tough. The Doc was, of course, the Doc. He understood on a clinical level what was going on with him plus John could count on him not to share anything with the others unless he okay'd it.

He thought about bugging the nurse for water or something at least to have someone to chat with if only for a few minutes. He hadn't recalled feeling so alone before. He was beginning to miss his teammates. They had come to mean a great deal to him and he realized how much they often did together off hours. He would even welcome being part of one of McKay's experiments right now just to have something to take away the restless thoughts swirling around in his brain. Perhaps he could ask Elizabeth for some paperwork to do. Surely, there were some unfinished reports lying around. Now, there was a desperate thought.

After wracking his brains for what seemed to be an eternity, the Major finally decided on reading some more of War and Peace. He read and read some more. He read through his dinner that a tech had finally brought up and he practically read through the time the nurse came in to check his vitals for the final time that evening. He read until he finally drifted off to sleep with the book draped across his chest one hand resting neatly along its spine.

Dr. Weir had made her way back to her office. A small smile was on her lips as she recalled her time with the Major. Even though his last episode had seemed to be one of his worse, she couldn't help but feel that he had bounced back from this one just a little bit faster.

As she got closer to the glass enclosure that was her office, she noticed a familiar figure in tan and blue sitting in a chair in front of her desk. As she came around the corner, she recognized it as the form of Dr. McKay.

"Rodney? How long have you been here?" she asked mildly surprised as she walked around to sit behind her desk. She assumed he had been waiting for her.

"Oh…about an hour or so," Rodney replied his eyes cast down with a hint of sadness in his voice. Elizabeth knew that something must be terribly wrong if this normally impatient man was willing to wait for her this long.

"What's on your mind?" she inquired in a soft voice. She had an idea but wanted to hear Rodney express it for himself.

"Well…not much really." He was hedging, Elizabeth could tell.

"Is it about what happened this morning?" Elizabeth coaxed.

Rodney did not answer choosing to purse his lips instead in a noncommittal posture.

"Rodney, if it's about this morning, I would like to hear your thoughts. I'm here to help you…all of us, through this."

"He's my friend, Elizabeth. He's my friend and I feel like I've let him down. Not that it would be the first time. I seem to be a constant annoyance to him. Hell, the man grows on you." The words escaped the scientist's mouth in a frustrated rush.

Elizabeth smiled knowingly. "I know what you mean."

"He's been very tolerant with me, covering my ass when I need it the most and here I am freezing up like some moron when he needs me the most."

"Would it make you feel any better if I told you I just came from seeing him and he feels terrible about what happened this morning?"

"No, that actually makes me feel worse."

"Rodney, he knows he's hard on you but it's because he cares about you. He's very concerned about your feelings and how hard he can be on you."

"I still feel like I'm making things worse."

"It would be worse if you weren't there," she countered firmly getting a little irritated with the scientist.

"You really think so?" he asked in a hopeful voice finally looking up to make real eye contact with Elizabeth

"Rodney, I know so," she softened. "I don't think the Major himself knows how much help you and the rest of the team have been. I'm sure your connecting on some level. I know for a fact that he is aware of hurting you and he wants to make it up to you."

Rodney looked sharply at Elizabeth upon hearing these words. He was deep in thought for a few seconds biting his lower lip. Elizabeth knew that deep down in that smug, scientific persona was a very sensitive man and that it took a lot for him to come to her and admit these feelings to her.

"He's going to need you…all of us…to be there for him in the morning. Can I count on you to join us?"

Rodney looked at her with a spacey look in his eyes merely shaking his head "yes." He started to rise out of his chair to leave but Dr. Weir stopped him.

"One more thing, Rodney, did you find out more about the power surge in the infirmary?"

"Oh, yes, of course." He had forgotten all about his analysis but quickly went into expert mode. "I believe the city having not encountered this type of behavior from the Major before, reacted accordingly. In other words, it has become accustomed to John in the sense that it knows the difference between a mood and a specific, expressed thought. It was confused by his sudden outburst since it had not sensed John in this state before so in a sense it reacted to his mood rather than to his command."

"Should we be concerned with further danger?"

"I don't believe so. If it happens again, the city should adjust accordingly and be able to distinguish between his feelings and his thoughts."

"Good to know. I guess the city has taught us another valuable lesson and given us some insight on the Major's situation. Wouldn't you say?"

Rodney brightened as realization crept across his face and answered Dr. Weir with a shy, crooked smile. "I guess it has."

Dr. Weir smiled after Dr. McKay as he left her office and noticed he had more of a spring in his step. She was feeling rather optimistic herself as she delved into her reports. She wondered how the rest of the team was faring and she assumed all was well with Teyla and Ford or she would have heard from them by now. Anxious to get her reports done and get to bed, she quickly went through her paperwork. Tomorrow was sure to be another taxing day and she wanted to be sure to get her rest.

TBC…Ch. 27 coming soon!

A/N: How do you like it so far? I admit I'm having a little trouble getting this finished. Any ideas…thoughts?