Teyla's voice woke him, and he saw the soft light of candels behind his closed eyelids. "John, be calm."
"What's happening?" John said, eyes still closed.
"You must have had another vision. You've been mumbling."
He opened off his eyes to find that the room was lit with candlelight. "What's all this?"
"My people believe very strongly in spiritual matters. We believe that this is an attempt by the spirits to communicate with you."
"Lucky me." She looked over and found Elizabeth in the adjacent bed. "How is Maia—Dr. Weir."
Teyla smiled, "She is fine. And you?"
"I'm okay. Pretty confused, a little dizzy."
"You still need rest." She said.
"Teyla, what do you…think about all this?"
She looked down at her hands. "Though my people believe, I have never seen a spirit for myself. But then again, I would never have believed in a place like Atlantis." She smiled at him.
He sighed deeply. "Liu, what do you think of her."
She looked away. "I don't know. She appears to be—different."
"Teyla, you don't have to be afraid of her."
She turned back to him, looking distant. She smiled hollowly. "Rest now; I will watch over you."
He was exhausted, and sleep soon overtook him.
When they got to his quarters, they found Maia sitting at the edge of the bed. Deri staggered and managed to land on it, at Maia's side. He fell backwards and she stared at his wound. "Deri, no, you didn't—"
"He made me do it mother." Liu said. "I didn't want to."
"It was my choice." He said, gasping. "I couldn't let her—"
"You shouldn't have done it." Liu shouted, and started to cry. "Mother, I told him—"
"Liu," Deri said, "come here." Timidly, she crawled onto the bed and sat at his side. He touched her face with one hand. "I did it because I wanted too. I would do it again; because I care about you."
"I believe you." She said, and smiled.
Maia looked at the little blonde girl in front of her and frowned. "Liu," there's no need to hide from us."
"Mommy, I'd always thought that it would be better this way. If I was normal—"
"Don't you ever say that," Maia said, her voice stern, but loving. Liu turned to look her in the face. "You are my daughter, and you couldn't be more beautiful to me."
"Or to me." Deri echoed.
She smiled insecurely at her mother and let her illusion slip. Soon they found themselves looking at the blue skinned light blue-eyed girl.
"There." Maia said, smiling. "So much better."
Suddenly Deri winced and grabbed at his chest. "You need treatment." Maia said, eyeing his wound again.
Without a word, Liu slid off the bed and retreated into the side room.
"I'm worried about her." Deri said breathlessly.
"That makes two of us," she said, "But right now I'm more worried about you. You need help, but I don't know what to do."
He reached up and touched her face. "I'll be fine. I just need to—" He winced again, but didn't pull his hand away.
There was a chime at the door, and she got up to answer it. There was a slight young lab assistant holding a small case. She seemed a bit shocked to see a woman at the door, but she recovered quickly.
"Head Scientist Morai thought High General Deri might want this." She said timidly, holding out a small medical case.
"Thank you." She closed the door and turned back to Deri. "How's that for timing?" she said.
He tried to laugh, but his voice faltered. She sat at his side and opened the case. It contained a small bottle, a cloth and a the opaque liquid. "Oh," Deri said, "This is a surface antiseptic, and this is the intravenous medication. And this—"
"Is a bandage. Remember, I've treated many wounds"
"Right, Sorry."
"Alright," she said, "Take off the shirt."
He raised an eyebrow and she smiled at him. "Fine, I'll help you."
He leaned up slightly and she pulled the shirt up over his head. It was covered in blood and torn where Liu had fed. "I think it's a loss."
"I'll have it cleaned." He said softly, and she dropped it to the floor.
She took the antiseptic from the bottle and wet the cloth. "You're very lucky to have such wonderful medications. And to live in this wonderful city." Gently she patted the soft cloth against his wound.
"You should stay."
"What?"
"You can both stay here...with me."
"No, I can't." She looked at the door to the other room. "We can't. We don't belong in the city, and we never will." She resumed her activity, and she could smell the sweet scent from the flowers.
"You can. If you give these people a chance, they'll love Liu, just like I do. We may even be able to someone else to feed her."
She pulled away from him and grabbed the syringe. "Hold still." She injected it into the crook of his arm, a bit roughly.
"So, what are you going to do?"
"We'll go back mainland, but we won't go back to the house. We'll start fresh somewhere else where the your people, and the wraith, won't find us."
"And I'll never see you again?"
She pressed the bandage over the wound and smoothed it out. "Probably not." Her voice was calm, but she turned her face away to hide her tears.
He sat up and reached for her face, turning her eyes to his. His eyes were intense and smoldering, but his voice was gentle. "Maia, I swear that Liu's father will never harm her."
Tears were spilling down her cheeks now. "How can you know that?"
Suddenly, He leaned forward and kissed her, tenderly, but passionately. For a long moment, she gave in, and reluctantly, she pulled away. "What was that for?"
"I just wanted to do it before I told you—" He stopped suddenly, "I know he'll never find you, because I'm the one who killed him."