AN: Last chapter! A big thank you to everyone who's been reading! I hope you enjoyed it.

Chapter Seven: Family and Friends

John heard quiet voices. He opened his eyes, but had to close them as the sudden light assailed his senses. His head swam and his leg throbbed with a burning pain, but he was alive. He had survived yet again.

"There you are, lad," Dr. Beckett said cheerfully. "We were gettin' worried about you."

"How do you feel?" Elizabeth asked.

"Lousy. But I can't complain." He squinted around. He was in the infirmary. Beckett, Weir and Teyla were there and he could make out Ford and McKay sleeping nearby. "What happened?"

"Ree'an saved your life," Teyla told him. "Then she flew us back to Atlantis."

"Aye," Carson agreed. "And it's just as well she did. It was touch and go back there for a while. We almost lost you."

He frowned, trying to remember. "What about you, doc?"

Carson dismissed his concern. "I'm fine. A few bruises, that's all. We were mostly concerned about you."

"Mmmm. Good," he mumbled. His jumbled memories were starting to return. "Where is she?"

The three looked at each other in confusion. "Where is who?" Teyla asked.

"Ree'an."

"Outside. Playing with Jamie," Elizabeth told him. "She wanted to let you rest."

"Which you should be doing now," Carson pointed out.

"I need to talk to her," John said, determined.

"Can't it wait?" Carson asked. "You're not fit to be seeing anyone. I shouldn't even have let Dr. Weir and Teyla in."

"It's important," he insisted.

Carson sighed. He could see that John would not rest until he was satisfied. "Alright," he said reluctantly. "But only for for a few minutes." He left to check on McKay and Ford.

"I will get her for you," Teyla said. She smiled "It is good to see you well again, Major."

As she left, Elizabeth turned to John. "Why the urgency?"

He considered telling her everything, but decided that Ree'an should hear it first. "We met someone close to her," he said simply. "I promised to deliver something for him."

She nodded. Ford had actually reported the events to her earlier while John had been unconscious. She turned to leave. "I'm glad you're alright, John."

"So am I."

X X X

Ree'an was just down the hall, playing with Beckett's little pet sea dragon. She had a small ball on a long string. She jerked the ball around while Jamie pounced it. When he caught it they played tug-of-war until Ree'an inevitably regained control.

"Ree'an."

She looked up in surprise and Jamie snatched the ball and string from her grasp. Teyla smiled. "Major Sheppard wants to see you."

Ree'an frowned. 'Why would he want me?' she wondered. "Is he alright?"

"He will be fine. Go on now."

Ree'an went. Major Sheppard was propped up on some pillows on the farthest bed. He looked frightfully pale, but his eyes were bright and alert. She sat in the chair Dr. Weir had vacated. "How are you feeling?"

He gave a smirk. "Why do people always ask people that after they're injured?"

"I'm sorry," she said apologetically.

"I was kidding." She frowned and he sighed. "Don't worry about it."

"You wanted to see me?"

"Yeah." He reached over to the side table where Dr. Beckett had left his clothes. With some effort, he pulled something from one of the pockets. Ree'an eyed it curiously as he held it out to her. "I was asked to give you this."

In the light, John got his first good look at Alaqi's gift. It was a miniature Stargate. Complete in every detail. Every symbol was carefully etched in the silver-black metal and it even had tiny pale blue gems for the chevrons. If he hadn't known better, he'd say that someone had shrunk a real gate.

Ree'an stared at it, speechless. "Where did you get this?" she asked in a whisper.

John was surprised by her reaction and tried to think of the best way to answer her. "A man named Alaqi visited us on the planet," he began. Ree'an was barely listening. She didn't need John's spoken confirmation to know the answer to her own question.

Without another word, she turned and bolted from the room, still staring at the pendant in her hand. Beckett watched her go in surprise. "What happened?"

"I don't know." John leaned back on his pillows. He was too tired to think anymore.

"Get some rest," Beckett ordered. "You can worry about Ree'an later." John nodded and drifted off into oblivion.

X X X

Ree'an wandered aimlessly through corridors, too distracted to think about where she was going. Her father's amulet. She remembered it well. Hadn't she played with it enough as a child? Her mind couldn't get around what that meant.

Her father was alive.

She shook her head. No. It was impossible. How could he be alive? Where had he been all this time? Why had he left at all? Questions piled in her brain, but no answers.

Her steps took her to the puddle jumper bay. The room was deserted. Ree'an made her way to one of the jumpers. She had to think, had to get away. In her confused mind, she could only think of one thing: she just couldn't stay any longer.

X X X

Dr. Weir sat in her office, trying to type a report of the day's events. She had just started to explain the rescue mission, when she was interrupted by Peter Grodin rushing in. "Someone just opened the outer doors in the jumper bay!"

She frowned. "I didn't know anyone was flying today."

"They're not." Weir followed him back to the control room. Grodin pointed to one of the screens where a lone dot slowly rose above the planet.

"Who is that?" she asked. He shrugged.

At that moment, Dr. Beckett called from the infirmary: "Dr. Weir."

"Go ahead."

"I can't find Ree'an, is she with you? She seemed pretty upset about something."

Weir watched the dot move further away with increasing worry. "I think I know where she went." She turned back to Grodin. "Can you open communications with that jumper?"

He pressed a few buttons. "Done."

"Ree'an," Elizabeth called. "Ree'an, please respond." Silence. "I'm not angry," she coxed. "Ree'an, what's wrong?"

Still nothing. Then... "He left me." Ree'an's voice was distant, as if she barely comprehended what she was saying.

"Who left you?" Silence again. "Ree'an?"

"Why did he leave me? Doesn't he love me anymore?" Ree'an's voice was getting high-pitched; like a child's. Elizabeth realized that she hadn't even been listening. She was talking to herself, lost in memories. This was bad. If she didn't snap out of it, she'd keep flying further and further from Atlantis.

"Ree'an. Please listen to me. Tell me what's wrong."

"Go away," she whined. At least she had registered the voice.

"Ree'an, what's going on?"

"Why do you care?" Her voice had a sharp bit to it. "He didn't care."

"Who is 'he'?" Pause. "Ree'an?"

"Father."

That explained a lot. Ford had mentioned that they had met Ree'n's father on the planet. She had thought that the girl would be happy; not angry and upset.

"Is that what this is about?" Elizabeth asked, kindly.

"He left me. He left me all alone."

"He had no choice."

"He didn't want me. Who would?"

"We do."

"Why?"

"For one thing, you saved McKay's life. Don't you remember? That tends to make a good impression on people."

"I was stupid. I let my anger take control. Like today. I almost killed Major Sheppard and Dr. Beckett. You never really wanted me. It's just because I have these Ancient genes."

Elizabeth could not believe how Ree'an could think so poorly of herself. "That's not true!" No answer. "Ree'an? Are you alright?"

High above the planet, Ree'an floated in a sea of stars. Dr. Weir's voice echoed in the small space, but she wasn't listening anymore. Absently, she reached over and turned the communications off. Blessed silence flooded her. She needed to be alone. Being alone was all she really understood anymore.

She glanced down at the necklace and in a fit of anger flung it across the jumper. It clanged to the floor a short distance away. Ree'an stared at it with tears in her eyes. The events of her life, which she had tried so hard to forget, were all coming back harder than ever: the loss of her home, the death of her mother, her father...her father leaving her. She hugged her knees and buried her face in despair.

A tiny sound caught her ear. She looked up. The center ring on the necklace had started spinning. The blue crystals glowed softly and a figure appeared suspended above them. It was a young woman with long brown hair and dark eyes. Even though the figure was only six inches high, Ree'an knew who it was. She could never forget that face...it was her mother.

She was smiling with a joy Ree'an had rarely seen after her father left. They had been so happy once. She rocked a small bundle in her arms and cooed tenderly. A tiny wisp of golden hair escaped from the cloth. 'Me' Ree'an thought in awe.

The figure began to hum softly. A familiar tune from the depths of time. Ree'an's tearful eyes fixed on the swaying form. Then, it began to sing in a sweet, melodious voice.

"Sweet peace for thee, my tiny child

La la lou lee, lou lay

Safe here with me, forever be

La la lou lee, lou lay"

The song trailed off back to humming. Then the figure began to fade. When it was gone, Ree'an was alone once more. Yet, she felt strangely comforted. This had been her father's and he had given it to her. He could not have given her a more precious gift if he had given her the stars themselves.

She went back to the controls. It was time to go back. Her new friends would be worried. Friends? Was she already thinking of them that way? It didn't matter. She knew it was the right word.

As she flew back to the planet, she thought about her father. She couldn't forgive him just yet, but, like her mother, she would live on in the hope that they might, one day, be reunited. Then, maybe, she would understand why he had done what he did. After all, life had to go on.

A short time later, Ree'an guided the jumper back into Atlantis. Dr. Weir was waiting for her when she got back. It was only after she saw Elizabeth's concerned face, that Ree'an realized how much she had worried people. Blushing, she avoided Dr. Weir's eyes and mumbled an apology.

Elizabeth ignored it. "Are you alright?"

She considered. She wasn't really. She was still upset, confused, and sad. Still, she would recover, and she knew it. "I will be."

"Are you sure?"

She gave a small smile. "Yes."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

She shook her head. "Not yet. Right now, I need time to think."

Elizabeth nodded. "Get some rest too." Ree'an nodded too and started to leave.

"Ree'an." She turned back. "You did good today," Elizabeth told her. "Thank you."

She smiled more warmly this time. "Anything for a friend." As she walked back to her quarters, she felt suddenly more happy than she had in a long time. Yes; they were her friends. And she would fight to keep them together.

THE END

AN: For those who are interested, the lullaby is song to the tune of 'The Coventry Carol.' Once again, thanks for reading! And a big thank you to my beta readers, Geoff and Nate. Could never have done it without them. Thanks again!