Chapter Twenty Four

As he picked up the knife and started a detail analysis of it, Doctor Carson Beckett was still absolutely fuming at one Major John Sheppard. He'd never felt so angry, upset or humiliated in his entire life and there were many events that had come close. Glancing back over his shoulder, he could see both Sheppard and Bates in similar positions, arms folded and awaiting whatever he had to say. Having them around certainly did not help ease his tension.

Beckett still found it hard to believe how he had stood up to Sheppard, then practically confessed his feelings for the wee lass but his comeback about Beckett not being a father either. It hurt him more than he'd ever let on. Carson knew deep down he could never replace Kiki's father but he was her guardian now, Weir had appointed him and he was going to try his darn hardest to make sure she had a better future ahead of her. Damn, the consequences.

Sheppard walked over to McKay, looking down at him and the monitors that surrounded him. The readings made no sense to him as he wasn't medically trained but the man seemed to be in good running order. Just to think that one minute they'd been arguing and now this, he felt like he should apologise or something. Instead he smiled slightly, instantly fading as he turned back to Bates.

"I'm sorry you had to witness that, Sergeant."

"Sir?" Bates asked.

"The little confrontation between me and Doctor Beckett there," Sheppard said quietly, indicating over to where Beckett was working with a tiny nod of his head. "I'm sorry you had to witness it." Bates actually had the decency to give him a sorrowful look, he certainly hadn't known that the mild mannered doctor had been capable of spouting off like that. "He obviously likes the kid sir."

"Obviously," Sheppard muttered in agreement as his eyes wandered back to Beckett.

"But I stand by your opinion," Bates continued, which in all honestly, surprised Sheppard. "It does seem too coincidental."

"Yes it does," Sheppard answered looking back to him, happy to find someone else who thought along the same lines as him. Even if that man was Bates.

--

"You wished to see me?"

Weir looked up from her desk once more, nursing a cup of coffee and found herself staring at the now familiar face of Teyla Emmagan. "Yes thank you, please take a seat." Teyla moved into the room gracefully and sat down gently. "I hope I didn't pull you away from anything."

"Not at all Doctor Weir," Teyla answered with a gentle smile. "You are not disrupting my routine if that is what you fear."

"Good, I'm pleased."

Teyla watched Weir with extreme caution, she admitted that she did not now this woman well but surely well enough to know that she would not call her into the office to discuss matters that seemed trivial at best. Small talk was how Sheppard had once put it. "Is there something you require? Is this about Doctor McKay?"

Weir finally looked at her. "I take it you've heard about Rodney's condition."

"It would seem that it is all most people are talking about," Teyla answered softly. "Everyone is very concerned for his well-being." This Weir did not doubt.

"I know," Weir replied sitting back in her seat, enjoying the warmth of the mug at her fingertips and taking a sip of the coffee. There was only so much beating around the bush that Elizabeth could handle and she could see that Teyla was already curious as to the reasons why she had been called into her office. "Teyla, I want to ask your opinion on something and I don't want you to take this the wrong way."

The young Athosian tried her best to not to remain guarded, from what she could determine it would seem that whatever Weir wanted to say may effect her and her own people. "Go on," Teyla said carefully.

Searching the right words and trying to sound completely neutral, Weir sat forward and rested the mug on her desk before joining her hands together. "Teyla, I really do not wish to offend you…"

"Whatever it is you have to say Doctor Weir," Teyla answered with a firm edge to her tone. "Please just be honest and truthful. I promise not to judge you." Weir gave her a meek smile before taking a deep breath, this was really not going to be easy.

"Major Sheppard believes that McKay's condition was caused by some contaminant on the knife that he was attacked with," Weir finally said, giving Teyla time to react.

"Contaminant?" Teyla asked lowering her eyes a moment before returning her gaze to Weir. "By that I assume you mean some sort of poison or foreign agent?"

"Pretty much," Weir answered. Mentally chiding herself for sounding like some of her team then quickly corrected herself. "Yes, we do believe so."

"I see," Teyla said slowly, her tone remaining exactly the same throughout the whole conversation as changing it would give her away and this was not something that Teyla did lightly. Her emotions were pretty good at not betraying her and this was the best way to work. After allowing the information to sink in, Teyla narrowed her eyes and looked up at Weir. "And you…" Teyla's eyes searched Weir's. "Suspect that Kiki has something to do with this?" Her tone had a slight edge of disgust at the mere thought.

What was Weir to do? Be straightforward and honest, to tell Teyla that now Sheppard had made a convincing display even she was beginning to have her doubts about the young girl? It wasn't so hard for anyone from Earth, but Weir didn't want Teyla to take it the wrong way, to believe that perhaps they were seeing Kiki as a potential threat just because she came from another planet. Weir was anything but prejudiced and now she was struggling to even formulate a single sentence.

"Not exactly."

"Not exactly," Teyla spat back with some bitterness. "You suspect Kiki because she attacked Doctor McKay and now he has fallen ill."

"It does seem coincidental," Weir admitted, intending to say more only to be cut off.

"I would expect this kind of behaviour from some of your people Doctor Weir," Teyla said rising out of her seat, keeping her arms down by her side. Her gaze fixed intently on the woman. "But not from you."

Weir stood up herself in order to keep some kind of even ground with Teyla. "I'm not saying Kiki is guilty Teyla."

"Part of you must doubt her even to come up with this sort of conclusion," Teyla said quietly, obviously quite passionate about proving that Kiki was who she said she was. The humans from Earth did not understand the effects of a culling, had never witnessed any but Kiki had. She may have been blind but there were still things she could see and sense.

"We're not out to get her, Major Sheppard is gathering evidence in order to try and clear Kiki."

Rage flashed in Teyla's eyes, and Sheppard's own behaviour around Kiki was beginning to make sense. Perhaps Weir had not reached this conclusion alone but with some divine intervention and she thought that Sheppard was one of the people she could trust. Clearly, she was mistaken. Without another word, Teyla abruptly removed herself from Weir's office.

Leaving Weir with the aftermath of her convictions.