AN:Just wanted to say huge thanks to those of you reading and reviewing, it makes our day, truly does! To know people stuck with us, and are enjoying our little devilish world! Sorry for the slow updates, both Shelly and I have more stories going on than we can keep up with, plus that holiday thing. Can't believe it's a week till Christmas! There should be at least one more update before gluttony and glee day. I know this one's a bit slower on updates, but we promise to keep the wait worthwhile (or should I say, we'll keep trying to make it worth the wait, cause that's what it's all about)...

ABOUT A BABY...part 8

"Major Lorne?"

He looked up to see Dr. Weir standing at the bars of his cell. Her arms were folded over her chest and her expression was pinched. She looked as tired and worn out as he felt. Which made him feel compelled to lighten things up with a lame joke. "Fancy meeting you here," he offered.

One corner of her mouth almost twitched. "Care to tell me what happened?"

"Vasquez is dead. That pretty much sums it up, don't you think?" Anger flared in Lorne and he jumped of from the bench and began to pace.

"Did you kill her?" Elizabeth shot back, her tone sharp as her eyes followed him.

Lorne froze, pivoted to face her and whispered, "No."

Elizabeth nodded. "That's good enough for me. But you have to understand -- "

"I understand." Lorne cut her off abruptly. "You have to keep me here until you do a thorough investigation and can prove my innocence."

"You're not alone in this," Elizabeth offered. "Just so you know."

Lorne nodded. "I'm glad you're in my corner."

Elizabeth smiled. "I'm not the only one. Alicia Weston is making noise, insisting that you're innocent. She's assured me you couldn't have done this and that she'll swear to it or sign a statement to that effect, whatever we need. She also confirmed another nurse was there and we're checking into it now."

"Great." Lorne didn't know what else to say. What else to think. "So...how long do you think I'll be locked up?"

"I don't know." Elizabeth rubbed a hand over her face as if she could smooth away her weariness. "Colonel Sheppard's team is late calling in so I have that to deal with as well. Along with Lily missing her daddy."

Lorne was startled to hear about Sheppard. "Anything I can do to help?" he offered.

Elizabeth shook her head. "Just keep the faith," she said softly, then she turned and walked away.

Heaving a sigh, Lorne sat back down to run the scenario over in his head for the hundredth time. There had to be something he'd missed.

0o0

"Anything?" Ronon asked Teyla, as she returned from circuiting her half of the area.

She shook her head. "Nothing. It's as if the door disappeared."

Ronon had come to the same conclusion. "They have to be inside." That part worried him. He didn't like letting Sheppard out of his sight and now he had lost him and McKay. This day was not going well at all.

"We will find them," Teyla stated, determination glinting in her dark eyes.

"Should we contact Atlantis?" Ronon hated to ask because he knew Dr. Weir had enough problems to deal with. But he also knew they were late checking in and she was probably worried already.

Teyla hesitated. "Let us search for a while longer first. I would prefer to have good news."

Ronon simply nodded then moved off to make another circuit.

0o0

Rodney was freaking out. Sheppard had disappeared as if dragged away and Rodney had tried to go after him only to come up against a solid door. Drag marks on the floor proved that Sheppard was behind the door, somewhere, but Rodney couldn't get the damn thing to open no matter what he tried. So then he wasted half an hour trying to contact Ronon and Teyla, even knowing that it was useless. But he had to do something.

"Why do you do this to me, Sheppard!" he snapped, as he paced in front of the door. "You always do this to me! You make me crazy!" Rodney stopped pacing to slump against the wall, letting himself slide down to the floor where he buried his face in his hands and did his best not to cry.

After a time Rodney pulled himself together, but he didn't get up again. He had to clear his mind and figure something out. Shooting at the door or pounding on it with his fists wouldn't work, even though he wished Ronon and Teyla were here to try that. Ronon was so damn big and strong, maybe he could actually bludgeon his way through the damn thing.

The worst part of this was that Rodney was in the dark. He hated being in the dark. Not total and complete darkness, oddly. From somewhere emanated just enough of a glow for him to see the area he was in, but it was a shadowy - oppressive - darkness and it was creeping Rodney out. He fumbled in his vest pocket for a powerbar. He wasn't the least bit hungry but he knew he had to keep his blood sugar up. If he passed out now he'd be no good to Sheppard.

"You're never leaving Atlantis again, John," Rodney mumbled between bites. And he meant it. He was going to keep the man on base from now on. Every time they left, something bad happened. Rodney was beginning to realize that he didn't have the ability to keep John safe. That scared the crap out of him. If Sheppard was really gone this time, Rodney didn't know what he would do. He couldn't even wrap his mind around that thought. Life without John Sheppard in it wasn't worth living, and wasn't that the ultimate in wake up calls?

Rodney pushed to his feet. Sitting on his ass wasn't helping anyone. Since he couldn't get through the door he would go back the way they'd come and find Ronon and Teyla. Then, together, they would find Sheppard and take him home.

0o0

John felt warm and dry and almost comfortable. If it wasn't for the ache in his head he might have been content to drift back to sleep, but the ache was radiating to clamp around his skull and it made his stomach lurch and he knew he was about to puke his brains out. Thankfully, strong hands lifted him and there was a bowl thing under his chin and John heaved into it until he was pretty sure he was going to bring up his lungs. Then a cup of something was pressed to his mouth and John took a sip. It tasted like warm water and he rinsed his mouth then spit. Then something flat was pushed between his lips and when it hit his tongue it tingled a bit, then tasted almost minty, and it helped get rid of the rancid taste in his mouth, which helped settle his stomach. Didn't exactly help the ache in his head and John moaned as he was eased back down onto his back.

After a time the stabbing eased into a thready pain and John felt ready to open his eyes. But he flinched away when a pale face loomed over him. "What the fuck!" John tried to move away only to find a hand on his chest, holding him still with ease.

"No harm," said a gritty voice. "No harm."

"Okay." John wanted to believe that so he forced himself to relax then he studied the figure before him. Pale skin with a blue tinged vein mapping over it. Big eyes that were silvery, long hair that was pale red and a mouth full of sharp and pointy teeth. John felt his eyes widen as he realized who, or what, he was staring at. A Wraith, but not a full one. More, half wraith and half human. Fear bloomed in his gut but he refused to give in to it. Still, he nudged away the hand that lay on his chest. It hadn't fed on him and that was a good sign. John took a better look at the hand. Human looking with the fingers longer and bonier than usual, but not exactly Wraith hands. "Who are you?" he asked.

The figure tilted his head then replied, "Goethe."

John almost smiled at that. "So you do have names."

"Yes...names." Goethe pulled away, rising to his feet.

"I'm...I'm John Sheppard." He frowned as he realized he had almost forgotten his name.

Goethe simply watched him.

John studied him a moment as well, realizing that Goethe was quite large. He was clothed in a loose tunic and trousers that looked like they were made of soft suede, with boots that looked like leather and John suddenly realized he was wearing the same thing. He brushed a hand over his tunic. It was very soft and a light beige color.

"Um...Goethe...where are we?" John asked because it hit him suddenly that he didn't know. And that wasn't the only thing he didn't know. He knew his name, he knew Goethe was part Wraith, but other than that John didn't know much of anything at all. Like where he was, and why he was there, and how he had come to be hurt.

"Home," Goethe said, in his gravelly voice. Almost as if it hurt him to speak.

"This is home?" John found that hard to believe. He struggled to sit up again, wanting to have a good look around, but the pain in his head made him dizzy. Suddenly Goethe was there, easing him up and holding him steady until the dizziness passed. "What...what happened to me?" John asked, as he swiped at the cold sweat that wet his face.

Goethe grabbed some skins that had been fashioned into what looked like crude pillows, and tucked them under John until he was propped up. He then moved to crouch in front of him. "You fell...hit head." He rapped his own head with one fist as he spoke.

John resisted the urge to nod and said, "Yeah...I get that I hit my head. When did it happen?"

"Not long," said Goethe, as he stood up and moved to a corner of the room.

"Define not long," John requested, as he watched Goethe. He realized the room they were in was huge and set up as living quarters. Primitive, but effective. There was a table in one corner. There were more blankets and pillows against the far wall. There was a fire pit, where Goethe was now standing and it looked like he was cooking something. The smell of it made John's stomach twist into coils of nausea.

Goethe turned back to face him. "Sleep now," he ordered, bringing over a cup of something that was steaming.

Instinctively, John tried to back away. But he felt like shit and Goethe was a lot stronger and, inevitably, John swallowed some of the vile brew, which sent him swirling into darkness.

Dreams invaded the darkness. Images of people with faces he didn't know and of places that seemed like something out of a fantasy. Then the darkness blotted out the images and John was sucked into oblivion.

0o0

Ronon hurled a huge rock at the building. He was frustrated and furious and he let it show. Beside him, Teyla watched without comment. Ronon glared at her. "We can't leave them in there!"

"We have no choice. We must go back to Atlantis." Teyla looked as angry as he felt. "We need help."

"I won't leave them." Ronon was adamant. Instinct told him that if they left now, they would lose Sheppard and McKay.

Teyla looked ready to argue but then she simply shook her head. "I will contact Dr. Weir. Will you obey her orders?"

Ronon bit back a sharp retort, then nodded. Dr. Weir had earned his respect so he would do as she directed. "Call her." He watched Teyla tap her ear but just then he heard something. "Wait!"

"What is it?" Teyla dropped her hand.

"I heard something." Ronon moved to the building, head tilted, listening. There was a low sound, like a voice that was mumbled. He pressed a hand to the wall of the building, pulling at vines, then he stopped. "Here."

Teyla moved to join him. "I hear nothing." Suddenly her radio crackled to life.

"Ronon! Teyla! Can you hear me?"

"It is Dr. McKay!" Teyla's face lit up and she tapped her ear piece. "We hear you, Rodney. Where are you?"

A moment of silence then, "Hell if I know! You have to find me and get in here. Something happened to Sheppard."

Ronon growled.

Teyla remained calm. "What happened to him?" she asked.

"Someone...or something...took him. I got blocked!" Rodney's voice was frantic. "You have to help me. NOW!"

"We will help you," Teyla promised, then she looked at Ronon. "Any ideas of how to get in?"

Ronon grabbed his stun gun. "Back up," he ordered. Then he took aim and fired.

THE END...of part 8