AN: I think this is the fastest I have EVER completed a fic. For better of for worse, this is the last chapter of this lil baby. I have thoroughly enjoyed writing it, and I sincerely hope you've all enjoyed reading it. Dunno if it was quite up to par; but considering how rusty I am at this whole fanfic thing, I'm still pleased with it. So now, without further ado...

Chapter 9

To the relief of everyone, especially Sheppard, McKay, and Zelenka, the group found themselves right in front of the DHD. McKay immediately began dialing. Sheppard turned to Karina.

"Sorry you got dragged into all of this," he said. The young woman looked uncertain, then shook her head.

"This is all my fault. The Guardians are going to be furious, and might well take it out on my people if I remain."

"What if you came back with us?" Teyla asked. "My people have created quite a home for themselves on the mainland, and you would be welcomed among them." Karina opened her mouth, but said nothing. She was completely overwhelmed by the situation. She was never good at making quick decisions. In front of them, the wormhole whooshed into existence, and Ronon sent his IDC.

"How do you know that the guardians will not turn their backs on your people even if you leave?" Zelenka asked. He hated to make the young woman feel even worse, but he felt it was a point that needed to be made.

"Because it is said that in the past, if anyone has dared to challenge the power of the Guardians, as punishment they would be banished," Karina said solemnly. "I always thought the stories were just myths, more tales to frighten children so they would behave." The young woman sighed. "I never realized how true a myth could be."

"Yea, I know what ya mean," Sheppard said, smiling at the girl. "My people found that out the hard way, too."

"Speak for yourself," McKay quipped. "Now then, Colonel, is the young lady coming with us, or not, because I want to go home sooner rather than later." Sheppard weighed the options for a moment, then nodded.

"If she wants to come, she can," he said. "The Athosians are a great group, and I'm sure they'd make you feel right at home," he told Karina. "But we're not sticking around, so there'll be no time for you to say any good-bye's."

"I have no one to say good-bye to," the young woman murmured. "I will go with you."

"Good! Now that that's settled, shall we?" McKay said, nodding towards the gate. The group approached the event horizon. Ronon and McKay went through first, followed by Teyla. Zelenka and Karina both paused, unsure for a moment, though for completely different reasons. The presence of Colonel Sheppard behind them, though, coaxed both of them through the gate. Sheppard followed them through without a backwards glance.

As they found themselves in the gateroom, Dr. Beckett was already there waiting for them with gurneys, Dr. Weir by his side. McKay was already eyeing the rolling beds with trepidation. Karina simply looked around in wonder as the wormhole closed behind them.

"It's good to have you all back," Weir said, smiling warmly at the disheveled group.

"Aye, now let's get you checked out," Carson said.

"And you can introduce me to our new friend here," Elizabeth added, nodding towards Karina.

"Come on, to the infirmary!" Beckett said, pointing the team members to the gurneys.

"I think I'll walk," Sheppard said, having the same thought as McKay. Zelenka nodded in agreement. If the blanket he clutched around his shoulders was irritating his skin to the point of pain, then he certainly didn't want to be rolled and bumped along on the gurney, no matter how smooth the floors of Atlantis might be.

"None of that," Beckett said, "I have no idea what ye have been through, and the last thing I need is any of you collapsing on the way to the infirmary!"

"Trust me, doc," Sheppard said, "We'll be a lot less likely to pass out if we're walking."

"You're a doctor, I thought you were supposed to help you patients AVOID excruciating pain," McKay snapped. Beckett looked slightly abashed.

"What do ye mean by that?" the doctor asked.

"Um, can we continue this conversation elsewhere?" Zelenka chimed in. As much as he was now dreading the walk through Atlantis to the infirmary, it would be far better than standing around in the gateroom.

"Yes, let's," Weir said, tugging on Carson's sleeve and leading the way out of the gateroom. Within minutes, the group had wound its way to the infirmary. Rodney hardly hesitated a moment before snatching a pair of scrub pants and darting behind a curtain.

"Would someone mind please tellin me what's goin on?" Beckett demanded as McKay's yelps and occasional howls of pain came from behind the curtain. Moments later, the scientist emerged, walking stiffly, still bare chested, but with a triumphant smile on his face.

"There, not so bad," he gasped. "If you don't move too much, the skin gets acclimated to the contact..." That was all it took. Both Radek and John immediately grabbed up a pair of pants and each found a curtain to duck behind. Carson sighed and shook his head.

"All right," he said to McKay. "Now that yer decent, how about hoppin up on the bed so I can take a look at you?" McKay hesitated, but Beckett's glare grew hard. "Now!" McKay backed up to a bed and slowly climbed up onto it. He sat with his legs hanging over the edge, his palms flat out behind him for support. Shortly, both Sheppard and Zelenka emerged from their hiding places and took a seat on beds of their own, both sitting like Rodney. After a few moments, their skin acclimated to the touch of fabric and bed, and the sharp pain dulled to nearly nothing.

"It is like a sunburn," Zelenka muttered.

"Like the worst sunburn ever heard of magnified times one hundred!" McKay groused.

"All right!" Carson snapped turning his gaze on each man in turn. The three women just sat by quietly, watching the doctor in amusement. "Enough chattering amongst yerselves. I'm the doctor, now tell me what happened, or I'll just bloody well let ye suffer!" McKay froze, mouth open in mid-complaint. Silence hung in the air, but only for a moment.

"They poured oil on us," Zelenka said.

"Nasty, viscous, putrid, sticky, DISGUSTING oil!" McKay added.

"Head to toe," Sheppard said. "As Soren questioned us, it was as if he could... activate it, I guess. Felt like my damn skin was on fire every time I didn't answer a question to his liking. And since he thought we were Ancients, MOST of my responses were not to his liking," he added under his breath.

"When they were done, they washed the stuff off," Zelenka said. "But still, even with the oil gone, my skin still feels as though it burns, but only when someone or something touches it."

"But, if we hold still, the pain fades. If we move, wherever something moves against our skin again, the pain flares up," McKay groused. Carson only nodded, processing all the information he was being given.

"All right, then. I'll need to run some tests, but from what yer tellin me, it sounds like a chemical that reacted with the outer layer of yer skin," Beckett told the men. "Yer sunburn analogy might not be too far off, Radek."

"So what does that mean?" McKay asked.

"It means that, depending on what the tests show, of course, there may be very little I can do for you," Beckett sighed.

"What? Why?" McKay asked, his voice getting just a bit higher.

"If this 'oil' effectively 'burned' yer whole skin surface, the only remedy may be lettin it heal on it's own," the doctor responded. "Like lettin a sunburn peel."

"Can you give us anything for the pain?" Sheppard asked.

"Aye, I can, but I don't know how effective it'll be."

"Wonderful," Sheppard groaned.

"Wait, how long will this take to heal on it's own?" McKay demanded. Carson shrugged.

"I have no way of tellin. Could be a few days, maybe a week or more. Have ye been feeling any ill effects other than the skin sensitivity?" All three men shook their heads no.

"We were rendered unconscious by the initial transport into the Guardian's stronghold," Teyla informed the doctor. Sheppard and McKay both made no attempt to stifle their groans.

"Why did you tell him," Sheppard grumbled under his breath. "Now we're all going to have to--"

"Spend the night for observation," Carson finished. An impish grin settled on his features. "And since yer so cheery about the idea, you get to be the first in line for labwork." McKay smirked at Sheppard. "Don't you get snarky, lad, because yer next!" Zelenka did his best to sit quietly and not incur the wrath of the man in control of pointy objects. Teyla, Karina, and Elizabeth simply smiled at the men. As the group settled in for what promised to be a long night of testing and unofficial debriefing, Radek Zelenka sighed. Right now, all he could think about was how much he wanted a holiday.

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End Notes: Ack, ok, so I cheezed out on the end a bit, but I'm a cheezy kinda girl! For the moment, I am out of fic ideas, but if anyone actually enjoyed my writing enough to want more, feel free to suggest stuff. Send me plot bunnies, they're all cute an furry an stuff!

Short of that, please at least leave a review, even to say that you think I should never write again! (I won't listen, of course, but I value honesty!) Thanks to everyone who's been reviewing all along, you've kept my muse happy!

I've had a hellishly (is that a word?) long week at work (and it's not over yet!). Review! It will keep me alive till the weekend!