With her face in her hands and relief surging through her veins, Dr. Elizabeth Weir recalled a conversation that somehow felt more distant than it actually was.

"Are you okay?"

She'd looked at him incredulously, unable to believe he'd even had to ask.

"No!"

He'd nodded, and then given her a look filled with confidence.

"You will be."

And he had been right. Sitting here watching Rodney type commands into his laptop with Zelenka looking worriedly over his shoulder, she knew John had been right. Because in spite of exploding a nuclear bomb over the city they had called home for the past year, watching thousands of wraith darts decide to play kamikaze with Atlantis, watching the shield come up at the last second and the not-so-small part of watching or thinking several of her crew had died, she was coping.

It scared her, and not just a little bit.

"Elizabeth?"

She wheeled around in her chair to come face-to-face with Carson, who was holding several folders, a clipboard and a harried face that seemed to be his permanent expression these days.

He also seemed to be permanently on a mission.

"Where's the Major?" Carson's voice was thick with Scottish brogue and worry. "I need t' know what he found with Lieut--"

Elizabeth held up a hand.

"Carson, I don't know where he is right now." Elizabeth tried to keep her voice level and even. Truth be told, she didn't want to know where Sheppard was. If she did, she'd end up finding something for him to do, or someone else would. The man needed a break.

"What d' ye mean, ye don't know?" Carson's voice raised an octave, and not in recent memory could Elizabeth remember so clearly saying something bound to set off another. "And no, it canna wait! How can ye even ask? Lieutenant Ford's condition may rely on what I and Rod--"

Rodney's head shot up from behind the console.

"Oh, no, I am not getting involved with this. I have a cloaking shield to perfect, not to mention trying to predict the radiation currents from the explosion, the effects of the EMP on the Ancient tech--"

"You'll get involved if I say ye get involved, Rod--"

In one quick, smooth motion, Elizabeth was on her feet.

"GENTLEMEN!" She glared first at Carson, and then at Rodney. "ENOUGH!"

To her immense satisfaction, both men bit hard on their lips and fell silent. When it looked like they would stay that way for more than a few seconds, she reached up and tapped her comlink.

"Major Sheppard, please respond."

There was a long pause, and Elizabeth was about to tap the link again when John's voice spilled onto the channel.

"I'm sorry, Major Sheppard can't come to the phone right now." Elizabeth could hear the acerbic tone in his voice, and inwardly winced. It wasn't a recording. "Since there are no alarms going off anywhere and the good personnel of Atlantis seem to be armed and capable of shooting, the Major is taking time to check the weapons supply. Please try back later."

There was a moment of silence, and then a click. Elizabeth knew in a moment he'd shut off his comm. Stunned, she turned to look at McKay and Beckett, who had listened to the entire exchange. Beckett's face was set in a mask of confusion and sympathy, while Rodney was simply looking annoying.

Feeling all three, Elizabeth just shrugged, and then let out a sigh.

"Well, I suppose that's our notice to leave him alone for a while."