Rayne: Well… I'm glad you're happy. I'll try to update more often.
Gothic Minerva: You're welcome. Quenya is one of the Elven dilects from Middle-Earth, the other being Sindarian. The name needed an 'alien' twist.
PurpleYin: If I ever finish, I'll go back through it and improve all the chapters. I do this occasionally when I need to read through it, though I have yet to post any of the 'improved' chapters, I'm probably going to do it once I've finished.
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Chapter 14"Where am I?" John asked himself.
As he looked around he thought he was in a large room. A very large room, as he couldn't see the ceiling or any walls. The floor was grey and had a fine mist hovering over it.
"Is anyone there?" he called out, turning around.
After a moment he heard his own question echoing in reply.
"Yes," a second voice replied from behind him, "do you like what I've done with the place?"
John turned to see someone standing there. They were wearing a white medieval style dress with gold patterns embroidered upon it. She had shoulder length blonde hair and sparkling green eyes.
"I was expecting heaven to be, well… happier," John stated as he gestured to what he presumed was the room they were in.
"Disappointed?" she asked as she tiled her head to one side slightly.
"You could say that, yeah," he said as he crossed his arms.
"Too bad," she smiled slightly, "you really shouldn't believe everything you think."
"So I'm not dead then?" hope was laced through his question, letting his arms drop to his sides again.
"Maybe we'll never know."
"Are you here to help or just annoy me?" he asked taking a couple of steps towards her.
"Don't rub the lamp unless you're ready for the genie."
"So that means what?"
"What it's meant to."
"Which is what?"
"You'll understand it if you're meant to."
"Could you tell me something I can understand?"
"Live as long as you like. It won't shorten how long you're dead."
"Again with the subject of death. Anything else?"
"No matter where you go; you're there."
"So where is here?"
"I don't pretend to know all the answers. I don't pretend to even know what the questions are."
"But you do know where here is?"
"Yes."
After a moment John went to say something.
"Talk only if you can improve on the silence," she stated before he could speak.
"Can you answer yes and no questions for me?"
"Yes."
"Good, now, where am I?"
"Due to budget cuts, the light at the end of the tunnel will be out."
"So I am dead then?"
"Yes," she paused for a moment, a small smiled on her face, "and no. Have a seat."
"What does this mean?" Bates asked turning back to face the doctor.
"Our people seem to be caught in some sort of limbo," she said as they both walked over to stand closer to the children, "Keayna said something about, the closer one or both parents get to dying, the more the children would become transparent."
"They're all dying?" Bates sounded shocked.
"Possibly. One parent dying could be enough. We can only tell in time."
"Is time something they have?" Bates broke the silence that had settled over them.
"I honestly don't know," she sighed.
"Whose this?" Bates walked over to stand next to Almie.
"We don't know. She appears to be Athosian. I've asked someone to come over to see if they recognise her," the doctor replied as she followed.
"Let me know as soon as you know anything."
"I will."
Bates took one last look at them before leaving the infirmary. After a few steps he heard the monotone sound of a heart monitor and ran back in. The medical staff were standing around one person. John Sheppard.
"What just happened to me?" John demanded as he stood up knocking back his chair and looking at his right arm; a few moments ago it had become transparent.
"They're not ready to let you go yet," she remained seated.
"So I just…" he couldn't finish his question.
"Yes," she replied bluntly, "each day is a gift."
"Maigan, Ava…."
"Are still with us for now," she interrupted again, "though their future is not clear to us right now."
"Us?" John repeated slowly after a moment.
"Myself and the others."
"What others?" he stepped towards her again.
Suddenly John heard a multitude of voices speaking. He looked around trying to see who was speaking but saw no one else.
"You're… you're…"
"We are the Ancients who stayed behind in the Pegasus Galaxy," she stood up and stepped closer to him.
"Thought you weren't allowed to interfere," it was more of a statement than a question, though confusion was evident in his voice.
"This was a collective decision."
"Why me? Why not someone else?" he stepped backwards away from her.
"Because you would understand."
"Understand what?"
"The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese."
"That's just…"
"Confusing?"
"Yeah."
"Good," she smiled, "you must remember it though. It'll help in time."
"Anything else I should know?"
"Hope dies last."
"That it?"
"Only one thing is alive and well here; evil, and it must be destroyed. But first, it must be found."
"Is that here, or back in Atlantis or somewhere else?"
"I don't have all the answers, only questions," she smiled as she turned around.
"Wait!" John called as she started walking away.
"Welcome to reality… come again soon." A few moments later she faded away and the chairs soon followed.
"Aren't you gonna send me back?" he called out to the empty room, "I like it here but one thing, Atlantis is nicer!"
After a few moments the nurses moved back to what they were doing before. Bates slowly made his way back over to stand next to the doctor.
"Is he…"
"He's fine for now," the doctor sighed, "something…"
"What?" Bates prompted immediately when she stopped speaking.
"It's nothing."
"Would it explain why he's… different from the others?"
"Possibly."
"Then what is it?"
"It's almost as if he's talking to someone in his head. It's the only way to explain the irregular readings."
"Irregular readings?"
"Brain activity. It was almost as if someone else was in there with him. They appeared to have left now," she pointed to the monitor.
So, who should wake first? Suggestions welcome. And what exactly did that Ancient mean by all the strange stuff she said? Well, you'll find out in the next chapter or so.