Ok I'm sorry it has taken so long for me to update but i was in hospital and am only just after being released. To be honest I never thought this fic would go on so long but i figure seeing as how those of you who are kind enought to review seem to like it I may as well continue. I'm afraid there will be another large update gap as i am gong on holidays for two weeks on Friday and am then going to be right back to school but rest assured I have every intention of finishing this fic.

Chapter 7

When Elizabeth heard the words leave Carson's mouth her world caved in on itself. She knew the Scot well enough to know that we would never say that unless he knew the person would not survive. John was going to die. The idea of it seemed absurd, John Sheppard was never supposed to die. He was supposed to get himself into perilous situations and when his back was up against the wall and there was no sign of escape he would continue to fight. When others would give up he would continue fighting and he would win. He was a survivor, he was not supposed to die.

"May I see him?"

Elizabeth tried to not let her emotions show, tried to hide behind a cold mask that John had often called her Vulcan facade, but Carson saw the pain in her eyes. This news was killing her and it killed him that he had to be the one to deliver it to her.

"Of course."

He stepped aside and allowed Elizabeth to raise to her feet. She did so with Isabelle still in her arms, still the little girl said nothing. Carson hoped the girl was too out of it to understand what was happening, she was too young for this to happen to her. As Elizabeth walked towards the door with all the strength she could muster she didn't look left or right, terrified those around her would catch a glimpse of what was going through her mind.

As she neared the door Isabelle began to squirm in Elizabeth's arms, trying desperately to get down. She did not want to go in there. Her father would be mad at her, she did this to him. She didn't want to see him, couldn't bare to hear what he had to say to her. He would call her weak, Sheppard's were stong, she was not a Sheppard, she was not his daughter. When Elizabeth set her down Isabelle ran to the far corner of the room and curled up into a ball.

"Isabelle, don't you wanna see Daddy?"

Elizabeth was shocked to say the least. She wondered what was going through her daughters mind and didn't doubt for a second that she knew the seriousness of the situation. That didn't explain why the little girl ran. Usually when John was in the infirmary Isabelle would be the first to visit him and would make it her duty to cheer him up. Isabelle gave no reply, simply stayed in the corner.

"Isabelle?"

Suddenly it hit her, Isabelle was blaming herself. She believed that her father was dying because of her. What a thing for a little girl to believe, it was no wonder she refused to talk. Elizabeth slowly approached her daughter but as she did so the little girl began to pull away further into the corner. Elizabeth sat infront of her and reached to touch her face, again Isabelle pulled away.

"This is not your fault Isabelle, do you hear me?"

No response.

"No one thinks this is your fault, especially not you father."

Still no response.

"I'm sure he's wondering why you haven't been to see him yet."

Isabelle raised her head, her cheeks were wet with the tears.

"I wasn't strong enough, I am weak. I am not ye're daughter."

That was all she said. She laid her head on her knees and slowly began to rock back and forth. Elizabeth didn't know what to do. Her daughter needed her but there was nothing she could do, beyond reassure her.

Sam could see the dilemma her friend was in, does she stay and work to reassure her daughter or does she go to the man she loves who is suffering? You would think the answer would be easy, stay with Isabelle. However, if John was to get better he would need Elizabeth. With a look to Jack, who immediately nodded in understanding she approached Elizabeth.

"Elizabeth, why don't you go see John and we will keep an eye on Isabelle."

Elizabeth was shocked to hear her friend suggest that she leave her daughter in her time of need. She also knew where Sam was coming though, she wanted so much to see John, to hear his voice and Isabelle was refusing to talk to her. What else could she do?

"Isabelle?"

The girl looked up and the pain in her eyes made Elizabeth want to cry.

"I'm going into see Daddy are you sure you don't want to come?"

Isabelle gave no response which Elizabeth took as a no.

"Ok well, I want you to wait here with Aunty Sam and the others and when you are ready we'll be waiting for you."

Isabelle still gave no response and simply laid her head back down on her knees.

Elizabeth got to her feet, she felt like her world was falling apart and she was powerless to stop it. Sam laid a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"We'll talk to her. Go to John, he needs you."

Elzabeth just nodded and walked into the infirmary. Once inside she quickly looked at herself in a mirror to make sure no tears had made their way through, she then made a b-line for what was nicknamed 'Colonel Sheppard's Bed'. There he lay, staring at the ceiling, wires attached to his body, wherever the wasn't a bandage, connecting him to several beeping machines.

John heard Elizabeth enter the infirmary and when she was next to the bed he looked at her. Her hair was a bit dishevelled, most likely from her running her hand through it a few too many times, there were bags under her eyes and her eyes, her beautiful eyes, were full of fear, pain and anger. He could see the tears that threatened to spill over and in that instant would have done anything to relieve her pain.

Elizabeth looked down at her husband and once again began a war with her emotions. His face was so pale and was covered with small bites, his breathing was slightly laboured and even though his eyes were full of concern, she could see in them that he was in alot of pain. When he spoke his voice was slow and it was obvious that it was taking a lot of effort.

"Hey honey, fancy meeting you here."

Elizabeth reached for John's hand and as she held it her barriers fell and the tears began to fall. She was losing him and he was trying to make a joke.

"Oh John.."

John stopped her by raising his hand to her lips.

"Beth don't."

Elizabeth tried desperately to wipe the tears away but they kept on coming.

"I thought...I thought you were going to die out there." Elizabeth was now shaking uncontrolably as the emotions she had been fighting overtook her.

"I would never have gotten to say goodbye."

John took hold of her hand again and gave it a soft squeeze. He knew he was dying, he could already feel some of his systems starting to shut down.

"I knew I wasn't going to die out there."

Elizabeth looked up an unasked question in her eyes.

"I knew I wouldn't die because I wanted to see you one last time, to look onto her eyes, to feel your soft touch and to tell you how much I loved you."

Elizabeth looked into his eyes and all she saw was love, pure love.

"I knew I wouldn't die because i didn't want my little girl to witness such a horrific event."

On mention of Isabelle Elizabeth's eyes fell.

"Beth, what's wrong?"

"Isabelle blames herself. She thinks she killed you."

John was horrified, how could his little princess think such a thing. He could only imagine what thoughts were going through his daughters mind but he knew that she was suffering. They didn't have time to discuss the matter further when they heard soft footsteps approaching them.

"Daddy?"

Elizabeth moved herself and she and John watched as Isabell approached the bed. Her walk was slow, her little body trembling, her face wet with tears, her eyes filed with so many emotions.

"Come here princess."

John reached his hand out to her and the girl ran to him. Elizabeth picked her up and sat her gently on the bed.

"I'm so sorry Daddy. This is all my fault. I should have been stronger. Sheppards are strong."

As the little girl ranted John's heart broke, as did Elizabeth's, how was a little girl supposed to cope with what she had been through.

"Isabelle this is not not your fault," John said in a stern voice.

"But I..."

"No buts, what happened noone could have prevented. You were really brave in that cave, you managed to call for help. You are a Sheppard through and through."

Isabelle flung her arms around her father, the guilt hadn't gone away but it had faded somewhat.

"I thought you'd die and that Mommy would stop loving me for taking you away," she mumbled into John's shoulder.

Elizabeth laid a hand on her daughters back and Isabelle looked up.

"I will never stop loving you, and neither will your father."

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When Carson returned to the infirmary he found John, Elizabeth and Isabelle curled up on the bed. They looked so perfect, so peaceful. A random observer would never suspect the horrible fate that was to befall them.

Carson was checking John's vitals when suddenly one of the moniters started beeping frantically. The beeping quickly woke Elizabeth and Isabelle and Carson saw that the Colonel's breathing was failing. John managed to open his eyes and look at the two loves of his life. He tried to speak but found that there was no air in his lungs, he reached for their hands and holdin them tighly managed to say three words before falling into unconsciousness.

"I...l..lo...love..you."

"Daddy!"

"John!"

TBC