Chapter Fourteen:

Time seemed to loose all meaning. I can't really describe what it felt like to sit there, my mind linked with Atlantis' defence system. I would say it felt kind of like playing a video game, except it felt a whole more real than that. And I felt different, too. Like I wasn't just Shannon Carter anymore, but somehow I was part of the city at the same time.

But the feeling didn't really matter to me right now. As I followed the battle, the images flashing through my head, I noticed the wave upon wave of gliders coming straight for us. And I had to suppress a shudder of fear at the row of motherships orbiting behind them. There were so many…could we really defeat them all?

Yes, we could. The thought was not entirely mine, but I understood it all the same. We would defeat Anubis, because we could not fail. So we wouldn't. It was that simple.

I smiled as I shared my father's determination. I could not help but feel a slight sense of awe at the way he never gave up. It was a rare and beautiful thing. Just like my dad.

Start targeting those motherships, Dad sent to me. I'll take care of the gliders.

I gave the equivalent of a mental nod and turned my focus towards the closest mothership, before opening fire once again. However, instead of bullets or Goa'uld-like weapons, glowing white lights shot out from Atlantis, twisting and moving towards their target. I could see them curving through the black of space as they raced towards the mothership.

And deceptively easily, the mothership exploded.

I say deceptively easily, because I knew just what this attack was costing Atlantis. After thousands – maybe even millions – of years under the ice in Antarctica, the city's energy sources had drained. Not enough to cause a serious problem, but enough to know that we could not withstand this attack forever. Not with the drain caused by Atlantis' weapons.

But then, what was life without a little challenge?

I moved my focus to the next mothership and opened fire again. By now, Anubis had realised what was going on and the motherships were beginning to move away from each other, making it harder for me to target them.

"Those gliders are getting awfully close!" Daniel's voice called out over the comm.

In response, I felt Dad switch his focus, targeting the nearest squadron of glider, and saw the weapons fire change course. But Anubis hadn't become what he was today without being smart. I saw the other glider squadrons change course, each one heading for a different area of the city, and I knew Dad wasn't going to be able to handle them all.

I broke off my attack of the motherships and covered the other side of the city to my father. I knew this was what Anubis wanted me to do, but I couldn't afford to let those squadrons near Atlantis. I had to protect the city – but more than that, I knew that they knew exactly where we were – and the minute they got close enough, we would be in serious trouble.

Shannon! My father snapped in my mind. Get those motherships!

I can't leave Atlantis open to attack! I snapped back.

I continued firing at the squadrons, driving them back and away from Atlantis, if only for a moment. As soon as I could, I refocused on the motherships, only to find they were up to something. Oh, man. This sucked.

Anubis really was a clever bastard.

The five remaining motherships that had been orbiting the planet only a moment before were now clustered together – which you'd think would make them easier to hit. But no. Anubis had built some sort of shield technology into them that seems to create an even more impressive shield when they were in close proximity to each other.

I fired at them, but my weapons barely dinted the shield. Damnit!

"I think we've got a problem." I said, using the comm.

"Ya think?" Dad snapped sarcastically.

Before anyone could say anything else, I saw another ship approaching from the left. Dad spotted it a second later. "What the hell..?" I heard him mutter.

"It's the Prometheus!" my mom called over the radio. "Don't shoot!"

The Prometheus? I avoided shooting the ship, telling the defence system that the ship was not a target and watched in detached amazement as the lights spun out of the way and around it.

As I watched in amazement, the hanger doors opened on the Prometheus and a squadron of our own fighters flew out.

"Atlantis, this is Colonel Frederick of the USS Prometheus. We'll handle those gliders for you." A male voice boomed out over the radio.

"Copy that, Prometheus." My mother replied.

Once again, I focused my attention on the motherships, still huddled together behind their shield. Except now it looked like they were charging some sort of weapon. We had to do something!

Together, my dad's intent echoed through my mind.

Immediately I understood his idea. If we hit the ships together at the exact same point, we should have enough power to punch straight through the shield and do some damage to those motherships.

Now!

Together we fired, our minds both bent on the same task. I noticed absently as the Prometheus' fighters gave the gliders a run for their money. It was nice to see that Earth wasn't as hopeless and defenceless as some people thought it was.

Take that Anubis!

We ain't so defenceless are we?

It was at that moment that, under our combined attack, we punched through the large defence shield surrounding the five motherships. A data table flashed before my eyes as I saw the weapon was fully charged.

Damn it! I wouldn't let them destroy Atlantis! Or Earth!

I focused my attention on blowing the weapon to smithereens, anger boiling through my blood at the sight of it. I had been angry before at Anubis' complete arrogance in his quest for knowledge. But now I was really pissed.

As if sensing my change in mood, Atlantis shifted. It wasn't a movement, but it was as if the consciousness that governed the city gave me that extra something that I needed to defeat Anubis.

I bursts of light coming from Atlantis' weapons increased in size and brightness, sailing true to their targets. I felt a surge in triumph as the motherships disappeared in a fiery explosion, followed by a slight feeling of guilt.

I had saved Earth from this attack, true. But it had cost lives, not all of them human.

"Yeah!" Daniel yelled. "We did it!"

Dad and I said nothing as we cleaned up the remaining gliders with the Prometheus. And then it was over.

With a feeling or great relief, I finally opened my eyes once more. The room was blurry and took a while to come back into focus. I tried to stand up from the chair, but as soon as I put my legs on the ground, they buckled. I couldn't believe how I tired I suddenly felt.

As I sank towards the floor, strong arms caught me around the shoulders and helped me stand. "Shannon, are you ill?" said a familiar deep voice.

Gratefully I turned to see Teal'c, realising he was the person that had followed me. "No, T." I said, my voice weak and hoarse. "Just really, really tired."

"Do you need medical assistance?" Teal'c asked, concern in his eyes.

"No, thanks." I said. "I just need to rest."

Nodding, he tightened his grip. "Do you wish to return to the others?" he asked me.

"Yes, please."

Teal'c nodded again. Then he surprised me, but simply gathering me up into his arms so I would not have to walk. Too tired to do anything, I smiled softly and rested my head against his shoulder. My eyes drifted shut as I struggled not to fall asleep.

I was jolted suddenly awake, when an alarmed voice called out, "Shannon!"

I realised that we were now back in the control room, and that Dad and Mom had also returned. Dad looked no better than I felt from where he sat slumped in a chair, his face pale.

I blinked as my mother ran up, her face worried. "I'm fine, mom." I said softly. "Just tired."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah." I smiled.

Teal'c put me gently down in the chair beside my father. "Thanks, Teal'c." I told him. "I'm not sure I could have made it on my own."

He nodded his head slightly, before stepping back to stand beside my mother. It was then that Janet moved forward, her expression one of doctorly concern as she peered at us. "Is there anything I can do?" she asked.

"No." My dad smiled tiredly. "I just need to sleep for about a week."

"Are you sure?"

"Actually," I said sitting up. "There is something you can do."

"What is it?" Janet asked.

"Could you go to the infirmary and get me this?" As I spoke I reached out and touched the ball, triggering a hologram of the object I sought.

"Of course." Janet replied, but I could see the confusion on her face.

"It's a healing device." I said.

She fetched the device without another word, and brought it to me. "Thanks." I said, with a smile.

I gripped the smooth circular device in my hand, feeling it warm at my touch. As I continued to hold it, it made my palm tingle and chased away most of my feelings of exhaustion. I knew that it would not last for long and was more of a temporary fix, but it didn't matter. I doubted we had actually defeated Anubis in the battle and something told me this wasn't over yet.

After another minute, I handed the device to dad, feeling a lot better. It was at that moment that we received a transmission from the Prometheus.

"Dr. Carter, this is Colonel Frederick of the USS Prometheus. Do you read?"

"I read you loud and clear, Colonel." I replied into my radio.

"Thank goodness." The Colonel sighed. "Dr. Carter we have a problem."

"What is it?" I asked, immediately tense. I could feel everyone become alert around me as they, too, heard what Colonel Frederick had to say.

"Anubis sent several super soldiers through the gate as he attacked with his fleet." The Colonel said. "They've captured the SGC."

I gasped in surprise. Damn it!

"And Anubis?" I asked.

"We believe he might actually be with them."

I closed my eyes for a brief second. Oh, God.

"I understand, Colonel." I said, surprised at how calm my voice sounded, despite the turmoil I felt inside. "Colonel O'Neill and I will go through the gate to meet Anubis. You do whatever you have to."

"Are you sure that's a good idea, Doctor?"

"This is my fight, Colonel. It is what I have to do."

My words were greeted with silence on both sides of the conversation. "Understood." Colonel Frederick said after a long moment.

I shot a glance at my father, and he nodded. He got up and started walked towards the stargate as I dialled the address for the SGC. I looked up in surprise as mom, Teal'c, Daniel and Janet all followed him.

As if catching my surprised look, my mother said, "It's not only your fight, Shan. We're all with you."

To my utter shock, I felt tears gather in my eyes. "I don't know what to say…" I began.

"You don't have to say anything. We're you family and we're not going to let you do this alone." Mom interrupted.

"Indeed." Teal'c agreed.

I smiled, my smile somewhat watery, at them as the wormhole engaged. "Then let's go."

And with my family standing close beside me, I walked froward and stepped through the event horizon.