Stay with me
Chapter 8
SPOILER WARNING! A slight mention of Stargate SG-1 season 9. Just be warned.
The song is by Trademark, Without you.
"…Elizabeth Weir is fine. Well, that depends how you define 'fine'…"
"…someone of…less then good intentions is planning something that involves her."
"She's not of concern right now."
…"thrown yourself in front of Elizabeth…"
"…Elizabeth wouldn't be the one in danger."
Lately I've been thinking
About time and how the days went slipping by
How I was always dreaming
Of all the places I would see and go in my life
So many things I meant to do
Until the minute that I first saw you
And I made up my mind
If there's a paradise
John woke up with a gasp. The dreams had started a few days ago. He was sitting up in bed, in the Iraq base, behind prison bars trying to make sense of the flashes and memories that seemed to haunt him, none of which, he was sure existed.
"John?"
The voice was filled with pain, it hurt him just to hear it, as he felt inside a sudden urge to kill whoever was the result of the voice sounding as it was.
"John? It's Elizabeth. Can you hear me?"
Frowning, twisting in his bed sheets he wanted to yell yes, yes he was here, yes he could hear her, but he was mute, like a pillow was placed over his mouth and nose.
"John. I don't know what's going on exactly, but I want you to wake up. Please? Please don't leave me…please…please…don't…leave…"
And with irrational fear that consumed him, John's eyes flashed open, only for a single word to roll off his tongue, as he looked at the prone figure sleeping on his arm, wires puncturing his skin.
"Elizabeth…" He whispered, sitting up. She hadn't moved, fast asleep. He glanced around the infirmary of Atlantis.
It was only then, as he looked fully around, that John Sheppard realised, he had left his body lying on the bed behind him.
I couldn't find my way there
I wouldn't want to stay there
It wouldn't be the same there
Without you
See, I'd have no one to hold there
I'd be all alone there
Even heaven would be nowhere
Without you
"Elizabeth!" He yelled, panic flooding his systems, not even realizing the lights above him were flashing with his heartbeats. She moved slightly as Carson ran from his office.
"Carson!" He yelled, "Carson?" Carson, looking slightly fearful, ran towards him. John took a step forward to meet him, only to see Carson walk right through him.
"Oh crap." He whispered, as Beckett pulled Elizabeth away from the bed and began checking his body's vitals. Blinking, Elizabeth was up in seconds, fear written on every inch of her face. Beeping filled the room, as nurses ran from each direction, attaching more wires to the body and fitting masks over his mouth and nose.
"Hello?" He whispered softly, turning around, watching as groups of people walked right past and through him. "Hello…?"
He was alone.
"I told you. I told you couldn't escape without facing each of your worst memories." The voice only infuriated John as he swiped at nothingness, trying to find the source.
"Then why am I here?" He ground out, backing away from the crowd.
"The worst memory you've ever had. Is right here. And it's about to happen."
"No!" John yelled, "This is where I was before you took me? How can I remember something that never happened?"
"Are you sure? Let me tell you John, we never took you from this moment. I can tell you for a fact, this memory scarred you for the rest of your days."
"Why?" John asked fearful.
"This is the moment, where your heart died and your soul, left." The voice said, almost kindly, as it's deep voice reverberated against every wall in the infirmary in this ghostly plain.
Staying here is easy
Cause you know you always keep me satisfied
There's nowhere that I've heard of
That could make me leave your love behind
When you're lying next to me
I'm right here where I want to be
I've made up my mind
If there's a paradise
"No." John whispered, realizing the implications as a familiar figure quietly squeezed through the infirmary doors, gun in hand. "NO!" He screamed, taking a step forward as the lights above them exploded, and the group fell to the floor in fright. A part of him knowing it would be useless, John rushed forward in a dive, surprised when flesh hit flesh and Elizabeth fell to the floor as bullets began to roar above them.
Looking at the frightened figure below him, John kissed her gently on the lips and whispered, "I love you." Her eyes staring at him in fear, as he felt himself rise slowly from the floor, turning to the figure standing in darkness.
White light filled the room as all around him watched in shock as John Sheppard, the cocky flyboy turned into a glowing white being. A true ancient. His eyes suddenly took on the appearance of someone with great knowledge, as the bullets that had been flying toward the unarmed group, slowed down, finally falling to the floor as the figure shrunk back in fear. John's voice filled the room.
"You shouldn't have come here…James."
I couldn't find my way there
I wouldn't want to stay there
It wouldn't be the same there
Without you
See, I'd have no one to hold there
I'd be all alone there
Even heaven would be nowhere
Without you
Elizabeth, from the floor where Carson had kneeled beside her, fear and wonderment in his eyes as he looked at her, raw fear radiating from her form.
She looked at the figure, a boy, only nineteen or so, but so clearly John's brother.
He evil figure smiled, before black darkness took a similar form to John Sheppard's.
"Brother. I had to come. Orii business you know."
"What, murdering Elizabeth?"
"Well, she was in your way."
"In my way how? You expected me to turn evil?"
"Anger would have consumed you brother, if she died. You would have joined us. But now you love has interfered, and you must die as well."
John's voice sounded angry, as Elizabeth felt tears run down both her cheeks.
"Only one will die today, and I am afraid it has to be you James. Why did you do this? Why did you join ones who we once would have hated?"
"WE ARE STRONGER!" James voice screamed, as the humans in the room covered their ears, as Atlantis alarms began to blare.
"So this is about father." John said calm once more. "I still sense goodness in you James. Come to our side. Father has moved on. He can no longer hurt us."
"He still hurts us to this very day! You do not see it because you are weak! You with your ties to humanity!"
Elizabeth could have swore she felt a ghostly hand run along her cheek. She placed her hand where she had felt it, knowing it had been John as Carson stared at her behavior strangely.
"What would mother have thought?"
"MOTHER IS DEAD BECAUSE OF HIM!"
"James. Mother is dead. Just like father."
"NO!" Lightning, as black as night struck out wildly into the walls on the infirmary, as several people dived out of the way of falling debris.
The lightning, more concentrated, lashed out in the direction of Elizabeth, as John, or John spectral being, used his arms to intercept it.
"You will not hurt them." John said calmly, as his friends looked on in awe and fear.
"Then I will hurt you!" The voice of James had suddenly turned dark and deep, as the two bright beings of light joined into one grey light, the most disturbing things, the screams that echoed through the silent room. The walls began to shake, people too afraid to move, as lights and pieces of the wall began to tumble down. Then suddenly it was over. White light refilled the room, as John's white 'hands' reached out along the ceilings, keeping it up.
"Go." His voice said gently, as people ran for the exits, the room shaking more and more. Elizabeth swore she heard in her own head "I'm sorry Elizabeth." As Carson and Ford dragged her from the room.
Before the room collapsed, and the people now gathered outside, stared in shock.
An island in the blue sea
A paradise it might be
But that means nothing to me
Without you
Carson carefully took his coffee which Elizabeth had brought him. The burning taste left a lot to be desired, but he still sighed in content, leaning against his shovel. Excavation work had begun, as everyone in Atlantis pitched in to clear the wreckage, and at the moment, it was Carson, Rodney, Ford, Teyla and Grodin who were on call to continue the digging for their shift. Elizabeth sighed.
"How's it coming?" She asked as they watched the others dig.
Carson looked at her in concern.
"Slowly." He whispered, looking into her eyes. Since the incident where John Sheppard had ascended, Elizabeth had become emotionally-detached. Her eyes, once full of hope and laughter, were hollow, sparking to life very rarely.
"Are you alright, Elizabeth?" He asked, gently, as she took a sip of her own coffee. She side-glanced him and nodded.
"I'm fine Carson. Really." Well aware she was far from fine, he nodded.
"I've Found something!" Rodney suddenly shouted, dropping his shovel and digging with his hands as everyone ran forward to surround him.
"It's a…leg?" The muddy and battered leg poked out through the wreckage, as Elizabeth dropped her cup, not noticed as it shattered on the ground. The worked quickly, more and more people coming to help as the body slowly emerged, Elizabeth not leaving her spot as the pulled the body free.
Tears filled her eyes as she stared at the lifeless eyes, looking up at her.
"It's James." She whispered, kneeling down with Carson as she closed his eyes, his blood wiping onto her finger tips. She stared at it before a voice suddenly broke through her thoughts.
"I have another one! Blimey! He's alive!" Elizabeth stood up suddenly, running to where a second person was pulled from a pocket beneath a piece of wall. Covered in bruises, and quite obviously naked, Elizabeth stared at the figure as everyone looked on in shock.
"John?" She said suddenly throwing herself down and pulling at his shoulder, pulling him from the fetal position he was curled in, and looking into his eyes.
"John!" She yelled, life exploding into her eyes, "John is it really you?"
John stared at her, cocking his head to the side slightly as people began covering him in blankets.
"Who are you?" He asked, his eyes showing no recognition. Elizabeth took a deep breath, a smile breaking into her features.
"John…" She said gently, brushing his hair from his forehead, "John…"
I couldn't find my way there
I wouldn't want to stay there
It wouldn't be the same there
Without you
See, I'd have no one to hold there
I'd be all alone there
Even heaven would be nowhere
Without you
Ttfn!