When John woke again, Elizabeth was sitting in the chair that Rodney had occupied just a moment ago. John shook his head slightly. His sense of time was messed up, probably the result of his head injury.
"Elizabeth?"
"John. Carson told me that stress isn't good for you right now, but I still need to talk to you. I'll try to keep it short, then you can go back to sleep, okay?" Elizabeth tried to smile, but failed.
John didn't tell her that he was tired of sleeping all the time. Instead, he just looked at her.
"Rodney already told you. We think it's the best if you return to Earth. Atlantis isn't safe and we don't have the resources the SGC has." Elizabeth explained.
"He told me. That healing device they have lying around." John said.
"Carson's gone over the data on record and according to him you have a pretty good chance of recovering with the help with the healing device and follow up physical therapy."
John said nothing. He knew that already, but he also knew what could happen if the healing didn't work, or didn't work well enough.
"I've made recommendations for everyone returning for you to stay part of the Stargate program on Earth. General O'Neill's opinion carries quite a bit of weight and he's sympathetic to the Atlantis mission." Elizabeth said. She didn't feel good about sending any of her people back home.
"I'm not exactly the kind of guy the SGC is looking for, with my stellar track record. The ATA gene isn't going to help me on Earth." John couldn't help being slightly bitter about losing what had been without a doubt the greatest assignment of his career. He hadn't really deserved it; it had been mere luck in the genetic draw that had given him the once-in-a-lifetime chance to travel to another galaxy. He wouldn't get a chance like this again. Without the advantage of the natural ATA gene, he wasn't an outstanding officer. He'd screwed up more often than he should and he wasn't too good at following orders. By the time his first three months in Antarctica had been over, he'd made peace with his choices. He hadn't even wanted another assignment. When Elizabeth had offered him a place on a top secret expedition, he hadn't known what to do. Antarctica was simple and at least he got to fly, after the Air Force wouldn't let him fly anywhere else in the world anymore.
"A liaison officer from the pentagon will take help take care of all the paperwork and arrangements when you get back. I called in a favour." Elizabeth told him.
John frowned. He appreciated Elizabeth's efforts, but she made him feel like an invalid, which probably wasn't too far from the truth. He did rely on outside help for almost everything.
"Her name is Major Reyes. She's got good contacts in DC and to the SGC. She'll recommend you and the others for re-instatement into the Stargate program once your health allows it." Elizabeth promised. She too had to believe that they had a future worth coming home to.
"Others?" John asked drowsily. He was getting tired, but he hadn't known that anyone else was returning to Earth. It didn't make sense. The others would get well again, eventually.
"I spoke to Teyla earlier. Her people aren't accepting her blindness, in their society, a disability a person with a disability as seen as a liability. Carson can't do anything for here and Atlantis doesn't have much to offer. I think it's only fair to offer her this opportunity. She'd have opportunities on Earth that we can't give her here." Elizabeth argued.
John didn't think it would be a good idea. He admired Teyla in many ways. She was brave, strong, a skilled negotiator and one of the best fighters John had ever seen. But she came for a world very different from Earth. Atlantis wasn't a fair representation of what life was like on Earth. Teyla's people valued things that the people of Earth had long forgotten.
"I don't think she'd be happy on Earth." John said. He knew that Elizabeth had a point too.
"It's Teyla's choice to make. She's on the mainland now." Elizabeth answered. "Rodney and Aiden will also return to the SGC. Carson thinks they can receive better care at the SGC."
John knew what that meant. They were sent home as damaged goods, not fixable anymore. But Rodney, they needed him on Atlantis.
"You can't send Rodney home!" He protested.
"I know it's a hard decision, but Rodney isn't recovering. He brought up the subject of returning to Earth. I think he wants to go back." Elizabeth admitted.
"Rodney is stuck in this gigantic mind of his. He thinks he is omnipotent and that everything is his fault. Of course he wants to leave." John whispered. "You can't let him leave. Atlantis needs him. You need his brain, even if he physically isn't able to do everything anymore." He was fading fast; the medication the drip was feeding him was dragging him back to sleep.
"I will talk to Rodney again. But I don't believe in holding anyone against their will. Rodney isn't a member of the military and I have no right to prevent him from getting the best possible medical treatment." Elizabeth argued. It was clear that she had thought about the issue before coming to see John.
"Get some rest, John." She squeezed his hand.
oOo
Teyla was sitting cross-legged on her bed, dressed in tradition Athosian garb. She had her eyes closed and her hands were lying loosely in her lap. If she hadn't asked her in, Elizabeth would have thought that the Athosian was meditating.
"Teyla. I have come to talk to you about something. May I have a seat?" Elizabeth asked, not sure how to approach Teyla.
"Of course Dr. Weir. How did the contact with your world go this morning?" Teyla asked, still not opening her eyes.
"It went fine. It was good to hear their voices again." Elizabeth admitted. "In a way, it's what I have come to talk to you about. My people are offering...sanctuary to our wounded. Atlantis is not a good place for them." Elizabeth was hoping not to offend Teyla. She had a feeling it had not gone over well with Sheppard. She was only doing what was best for the expedition.
"The sick and disabled are the first to fall to the Wraith. My people do not care for them like you do. They would not have provided for me now that I have lost my sight. I am grateful that you have let me stay in the City. If you wish me to go to your planet, I will oblige." Teyla answered.
"No, you don't have to feel obligated, Teyla. I want to help you. You have done a great service to this expedition and you are welcome to stay here as long as you want. But if the Wraith attack, we might not be able to protect you here. You would be safe on Earth. There might be even a way to help you. We have technology available back on our planet that might cure you."
Teyla smiled. "This is not important. I cannot make that decision alone. I need to return to my people. We value relations to much to break them lightly."
"I will make the arrangement for a pilot to take you to the mainland as soon as possible." Elizabeth promised. "My people will look forward to meeting you."
oOo
Elizabeth was sitting next to his bed, reading from a folder when Rodney woke up. He didn't remember falling asleep, but he figured that he must have dozed off. Elizabeth closed the folder and put it down in her lap.
"Carson told me you wanted to talk to me." She looked like someone had died. It was a look that Rodney hadn't seen on her very often.
"I have been thinking about what's happening lately and the permanent repercussions." Rodney said tentatively, „I think there might an option we haven't exhausted yet. The Tok'ra healing device on Earth."
Elizabeth thought for a moment. "I did think about sending some of you back to Earth. Atlantis doesn't have the resources to provide adequate care for everyone. But I was going to wait until I brought up the issue. Frankly, I hadn't thought of the healing the device and I have to admit that I'm not entirely familiar with it. I have read mentions of it in reports from the SGC, but that's all I know. I have no idea whether any of you could be helped with it." Elizabeth said.
"The device was being researched at Area 51 while I was working there, so I know quite a bit about it, but Carson needs to have a look at the data." Rodney admitted.
"That sounds promising. I'll have him evaluate the data immediately." Elizabeth said. "But the use of the healing device falls under the authority of the SGC. I can make the recommendation, but I can't order it."
"I see." Rodney nodded. He hadn't thought of that, but it made sense.
"You realize that this might be a one trip. So far there is no way to return to Atlantis for anyone travelling to Earth. In the communication we have received from the SGC, there was an update for our scientific database, including updates on any technology found back home. They didn't find any Ancient technology or other similar power sources. They did make progress with the implementing the Asgard hyper drive into Earth design ships. But they are months from being space-worthy." Elizabeth informed him.
There was a pause.
Rodney finally broke the silence. "What do you think? Is that the road we want to go down?"
Elizabeth leaned forward. "I don't think we have any choice here. We are weeks away from a Wraith attack. My responsibility is to safety of the members of this expedition. If sending you back to Earth is in the best interest of your safety and the expedition, you won't hesitate to do it." Rodney realised that Elizabeth had made the choice before she'd known about the healing device.
"We'll have to decide soon." Rodney said, thinking about John.
"I know. Carson told me. I was going to talk to you tonight." Elizabeth sighed. She wasn't looking forward to those conversations.
"Talk to me? You want me to go back to Earth?" Rodney asked.
"Carson and I have thought about. He is concerned about your recovery. He believes the infection has already damaged the optic nerve of your left eye. Carson is checking out the data we have regarding the healing device now. I'm going to contact the SGC later today. They are ready to receive people in need of medical assistance." Elizabeth said firmly.
Rodney thought for a moment. Atlantis was the opportunity of a lifetime, the dream of any scientist. He would have sold his soul to go there. However, things had turned out in a way he had never expected. He'd lost his position, the respect of his peers and friends and even his health. The trip to a new galaxy had been costly. He'd seen wonders that nobody on Earth had ever dreamt of, but he'd also seem life-force sucking monsters that lived to kill humans. Life in the Pegasus Galaxy was hard. They'd been cut off from their home for almost a year, their supplied were running out and the Wraith were at their doorstep. It was only getting worse. Rodney was tired of it all in some ways. He hadn't lived up to the expectations.
"Carson is going to release you later, to give you some time to pack and get ready." Elizabeth interrupted his thought.
Rodney didn't protest. He just had one request. "I want to talk to John."
You can do that. Just check in with Carson first."
oOo
Sleep was like a blanket that was slowly being lifted from John. Vestiges of sleep mixed with the stuffy feeling of sedatives. His body felt like it was being weighed down with lead, but there was something different from before. John tried to open his eyes, but they seemed glued shut. He just couldn't open them. He wanted to reach for his face, but his arms wouldn't obey him. He panicked, his arm wouldn't move at all anymore. Not even a twitch. He felt his heart thumping against his breastbone and he was struggling for breath. He tried to move as much as a finger and finally felt a tingling sensation shoot up his arm. The intensity brought tears to his eyes. He let out a groan in frustration. He tried again, even as his strength was vain.
"John, calm down. It's going to be all right." A calm voice that sounded familiar stopped him.
"Carson?" He asked, as an image of a man came to mind. The name sounded slurred even to his own ears. It scared him.
"It's all right. Can you open your eyes?" Carson asked the impossible.
John pried his eyes open for a moment, but they slipped shut a second later.
"That's good for the moment. Try to relax." Carson encouraged, but he could tell that John was frightened.
"There was a blood vessel leaking inside hear brain. I know it sounds bad, but you'll recover from this." He watched John's face for any indication that he'd understood. The man's face was still tense, but there was no longer the look of total panic.
"No Dr. Biro will do some tests. It won't take long, and then you can rest. Just remember, you are going to be fine."
oOo
Rodney was working on annotations to his work on Atlantis, just in case people wanted to use his brilliant notes to continue his projects. He realized that the under-taking was somewhat in vain since he'd been stripped of his position. His projects were probably collecting dust on some shelf in the lab. What a shame. Who knew what secrets would never be discovered.
Rodney typed away on his laptop while casting an eye on John every few minutes. He had talked Carson into letting him stay with John after Dr. Biro's neural exam had revealed additional weakness in his right arm, but he's still had some feeling and the doctor was confident that the soldier would recover. That of course left the paralysis from his earlier injury that the doctor still hadn't managed to fully explain, let only treat effectively.
When Rodney saw John stirring, he closed the laptop and watched his friend slowly wake up. John's eyes fluttered open and Rodney got up to make his presence known.
"Hey." He tried for a smile. John only flinched and turned his head away.
"Go away." His speech didn't sound right, but Carson had told him about that. Hopefully it would with time.
"I'm not going. This is important. I told you yesterday, you can't hide." Rodney insisted.
John refused to answer.
"Elizabeth let me tell you the news. We are going home." Rodney announced, waiting for John's reaction.
John turned his head to face Rodney. "Earth?"
"Yes, good old Earth. It was fun while it lasted." Rodney said sarcastically. He still needed to come to terms with this on his own.
John just nodded.
"Elizabeth contacted the SGC an hour ago. Carson wants you safely back home faster than you can dial Earth. But we can look forward to it. Not only do I get to see Sam again, they also have a healing device at Area 51. The general agreed to get it for us." Rodney was being flippant. He didn't want to show how afraid he was, not in front of John, who really had reason to be afraid.
"Can it fix this?" John asked.
Rodney fidgeted. "Carson says it probably will. But you know him. Voodoo and all. He made me promise not to upset you and he's coming by later with Elizabeth to give you all the details." Rodney explained, trying to keep the conversation as normal as possible. He didn't know how to deal with a disabled John and he wasn't about to start. John was going to be all right. They'd fix him at the SGC.
"You'd come with me Rodney?" John asked, whispering.
"I heard about the healing device when I was working at Area 51." Rodney didn't mention that it had been Elizabeth's idea to send them back to Earth.
"Knew you'd figure something out, Answer Man." John whispered, closing his eyes.
"It was the least I could do. Look I didn't realize what was going on last night and I left you there all night. Carson said that there's weakness in your arm-"
"Stop." John interrupted him, trying to speak as strongly as he could. "It was going to happen anyways. Leave it."
oOo
Normally people would have walked up to her as soon as they saw her approach, greeting her, wanting to hear the newest from the City of the Ancients and eager to share the newest gossip. When Teyla, accompanied by Sergeant Stackhouse walked through her village this time, people shot her looks of disgust. No one spoke to her. She could hear muffled whisper, probably spoken behind raised hands, but no one addressed her directly. She had become a burden to her people. Markham led her across the village square to Halling's tent.
"Stay outside. I will be fine." Teyla asked in a low voice as they stood outside the tent.
"Are you sure? Your people seem pretty apprehensive." Stackhouse asked.
"Halling is a friend." Teyla stated and slipped into the tent.
The familiar odour of scented candles and stew greeted.
"Teyla!" Halling's booming voice sounded from ahead and a pair of arms enveloped her. "You shouldn't have come here. I know the Atlantians have different customs and I am glad for you. But it is not the way our people. You have to understand them."
Halling guided her to the bench at the table. "Sit down. I will make us a cup of tea."
Teyla heard Halling rummage around and soon the scent of tea mingled with the other odours. The cup hit the table and vapour wafted in her face. She wrapped her hands around the mud, letting the heat seep into her hands.
"What brings you here?" Halling asked her after they had had their first taste of the tea.
"Dr. Weir has offered me to return to the planet of her people." Teyla said.
"What do you think?" Halling asked.
"It is a generous offer. The Atlantians have done much for us since they came here. We can learn a lot from them. But, I also think that there is a lot that we don't know about them yet. They come from very from far away, and their world is very different from what we know." Teyla explained, trying to sort her thought. Since Elizabeth had come to her quarters, a jumble of thoughts had been going through her mind.
"They aren't the Ancestors, Teyla. Your people have been living in among the planets of the Ancestors since the beginning of time. Don't you think you belong here?" Halling asked her.
"You said yourself. We have no place for the sick and infirm." Teyla said. It will be hard to leave this all behind."
"You are determined to leave?" Halling asked, taking another sip of tea. He wasn't surprised. Teyla had connected to the Atlantians in a way that he had never understood. He wasn't sure whether genuine understanding, respect or rather admiration for the descendants of the Ancestors.
"Losing my sight wasn't easy." Teyla confessed for the first time. She'd never talked to anyone about her blindness. "The Atlantians, they may be different, but they can be true friends. They have not left me alone when I lost my sight."
"I don't know as much us you about the Atlantians and many of their ways don't make sense to me, but I'm grateful to them for what they have done for you. If you are sure that you want to join them, then it is the right thing to do." Halling said and Teyla could hear the smile in his voice.
"Thank you for listening to me." Teyla said and finished her tea.
"I am your friend, Teyla. I will miss you when you are gone." Halling took her hand. "Your father always said that you would surprise us all."
"You remember?" Teyla smiled.
"I remember your father well. He was a wise man." Halling said. "Now, tell me, what has been happening in the City?"
oOo
"Rodney, I need to talk to you for a minute." Elizabeth announced and pulled up a chair.
Rodney nodded. "Okay." He was a bit suspicious, but relieved that it didn't seem that something had happened to John. She would have said that right away.
"When I talked to you about returning to Earth, I might have been a bit premature. I wanted to ask you to reconsider going." Elizabeth said, not looking at Rodney. She didn't like asking Rodney to stay in Atlantis; he'd have better opportunities on Earth.
"I don't think I'll be much use here. I failed everyone. I screwed up. I should go back to Earth. Radek can do my job just as well as I can. He'll figure something out in time. He's good at what he does. You really don't need me here." Rodney babbled, wring his hands. He was clearly upset. He also seemed confused. Elizabeth hadn't seen Rodney confident and cranky since the mission.
"That's not true, Rodney. We need your expertise here." Elizabeth wanted to leave to choice to Rodney. It wasn't her right to deny him to go home and possible get well again, but she didn't want him to make the choice for the wrong reasons. Right now, Rodney was upset and not dealing with what had happened.
"I don't think you need me." Rodney shook his head. He sounded utterly defeated. "I did everything wrong. Look at what happened to John, Aiden and Teyla!"
"You didn't do anything wrong." Elizabeth reassured him, knowing that Rodney wasn't in any state to listen to him. She had hoped that the visit with John would have helped to reassure Rodney, but she had seen John herself. It could be difficult seeing John confined to a bed. "Stay here and lie down again. I'll send Carson along."
Rodney rubbed his face, He felt both giddy and worn. He didn't know what do or think anymore. That was something that would have never happened to the old Rodney McKay. But the old Rodney McKay was gone.
"Come on. Take off your shoes." Elizabeth urged him. Rodney hadn't noticed she was still there. He slipped out of his shoes and lied back down on the bed, closing his eyes. He was tired of everything. It just never stopped. The last thing he noticed was the blanket settling over him, and then he drifted off to sleep.
oOo
Rodney woke up to the sound of ruffling paper somewhere at his side. He slowly opened his eyes and found the lights agreeably dimmed. He felt odd, like the air was heavier than usual. He recognised the feeling of being sedated. It hadn't been long since the last time, the memory was still fresh. When he'd woken up after the explosion on the outpost, he'd felt similar.
Rodney turned her head, searching for the source of the rustling sound. Carson was sitting in a chair, busy reading a file.
"What happened?" Rodney asked his lips and tongue feeling a bit stiff.
Carson put down the file. "You needed the rest. Elizabeth told me that it didn't go so well." Carson sounded sympathetic.
Rodney didn't reply. Instead he reached for the glass of water in the table at the side. Carson saw what he wanted and gave it to him. When Rodney was finished, he put the glass back.
"What time is it?" Rodney asked finally.
"About 1500." Carson replied. "Are you feeling all right?"
"No." Things were very much not all right. He felt physically better, mostly thanks to the drugs, but internally, he still felt on edge. He just wanted to feel normal again.
"I had some food brought down from the cafeteria. You haven't eaten at all today. Glucose isn't a substitute for actual food." Carson handed Rodney a tray.
Rodney eyed the food. There was a glass filled with a purplish liquid, probably the military issue grape soda that came mixed from power. Rodney wondered where Carson had the drink from, for the last two months, Rodney had only seen Lemon flavour powder drink. On the plate what passed for a sandwich these days. A two flat pieces of bread, made out of a type of cornmeal, filled with roast beef. They had yet to find cheese in the Pegasus Galaxy. Reluctantly, he grabbed the sandwich and took a bite.
Carson let him eat for a while, but didn't move from the chair. Rodney didn't feel comfortable being watched. He put down the food.
"Carson?" He looked at the physician, realising why the man was there. In a few hours, John, Aiden and Teyla, his team, his friends, they would return to Earth.
"What's going to happen?" He asked. He didn't know what Elizabeth had told Carson.
"Elizabeth talked to me, to Kate and to Radek. We are worried about you. You are vital to this expedition, nothing has changed about that, but Elizabeth won't force you to stay on Atlantis." Carson told him.
Rodney just shrugged and said nothing. He didn't know what to do. It felt like his mind was fractured and it was only getting worse since he'd had the idea the return the Earth.
"Rodney, I have known you for a while now." Carson said. "I know how much you have put into this expedition, even before we ever left Earth. But you have worked on the Stargate program before, even before we knew Atlantis existed." Carson had first met Rodney at Area 51. Rodney had been working on a theory to explain the physics of the Stargate, all without ever having seen a Stargate while Carson was new to Area 51 after the military had expressed interest in the gene therapy.
"What I'm trying to tell you, you have something to go back to on Earth if you return. You have a lot of healing to do. Physically and mentally." Carson said to him.
Rodney nodded. He understood. Carson was concerned about him. On Earth, he'd probably be healed, and he'd be putting an end to the nightmare he seemed to be caught in during the last few weeks. But despite all the hardship, he'd gotten comfortable in Atlantis; he'd made friends and gotten out of the lab for the first time in his career.
"Can I sit with John until it's time?" Rodney asked. He needed time to think.
"He's sleeping, but yes, you can see him." Carson allowed.
oOo
John had imagined going home quite a few times, but never like this. He'd always expected to walk through the Gate on his own two legs. When walking was clearly out of the question, John had begged Carson to put him into a wheelchair, but Carson had been adamant. Gurney it was. At least he didn't have to lie down flat, Carson had given in and let him keep his upper body inclined at an angle. It left him with some feeling of control, if only because he could see what was going on around him.
As the nurses Tiny and Erin lifted him onto the gurney, settled a blanket over him and secured him, John drifted back to what he had left behind on Earth. He hadn't had much of a career, Antarctica had been a dead end, but he had been content. Life had been easy.
On Atlantis he'd stumbled into a position that he hadn't been prepared for, a command that he hadn't been supposed to have. After Afghanistan, the US Air Force wouldn't have entrusted another command to him. He'd like to think that he'd done well enough. The screw-up on the last mission was just one of those bad breaks. John had seen it happen all the time.
"Are you comfortable enough, Sir?" Erin asked, drawing John back to the present.
"Yes, thank you." John replied, not really feeling comfortable, but realizing that it was not the nurses' fault.
His discomfort must have shown on his face because the next thing he knows, Tiny was there with a syringe.
"I can give you a mild sedative for the trip. Not enough to knock you, just enough to relax you a bit." She said softly.
John shook his head. It was bad enough that he wouldn't make it through the Gate under his own power, but arriving at the SGC on a gurney was one thing, drooling on the pillow with everyone watching was another.
"Everything all right, Major Sheppard?"
John hesitated. It seemed stupid when he thought about it. But in this situation, it mattered.
"The scrubs. Any way I could get my uniform?" John asked.
Tiny checked her watch. "All right, Major. We'll have to take you back to the bed to change. But we have plenty of time left. You up to that?"
John nodded. He didn't look forward to being shifted around, undressed and redressed by the nurses, but at the moment there was little he could do to help them. At least he could raise his arms a few inches from the mattress today.
oOo
Rodney put on his uniform. He hadn't worn it since he had come back from the disastrous rescue mission. So he was going back to Earth. He'd never thought he'd go home like that. Sent home as an invalid. A great end to his career. Well, the world of academia was still open to him. But it had been years since he had published a paper. Ever since he had gotten involved with the Stargate program his research had been classified. Only his superiors and a few people in Washington had clearance to read about his research. His career wasn't what he had thought it would be back when he had graduated from college. Working for the military on a top secret project was not what he had had in mind. But having seen Ancient technology, Alien planets and ten thousand year old spaceships, Rodney wouldn't change a thing. When he stepped through that Gate today, he'd lose it all. It would be their last trip. He'd still be the fortunate one. His experience with wormhole physics and Ancient technology made him invaluable to the Stargate program. He'd probably get a few weeks of leave and then they'd offer him a job at Area 51.
Aiden and John were less lucky. They were headed for a medical discharge and that was it, if things didn't work out. He felt sorry for Aiden. The young man had been trying so hard, but he had hardly made any progress in his recovery.
Rodney pulled on his jacket. He as ready as he was ever going to be.
He looked around his home for the last ten months for one last time and walked out the door.
The control room was filled with people. Warren, Grodin and Elizabeth were standing behind the control console talking animatedly. Next to the Gate, the group of travellers had gathered. Aiden sat in a wheelchair, dressed in BDUs. He even had his cap on. He was trying to put on a brave face, but even Rodney could see his apprehension shining through. Rodney was surprised to see Teyla standing next to Aiden, also dressed ready for a mission. Her gaze was lost in the room, but she knew he was there.
"Dr. McKay. Are you looking forward to finally rejoining your family?"
"Teyla." Rodney paused, not knowing how to answer. The Athosian had strong family bonds. "I don't really have any family."
"Oh. That must be difficult for you." Teyla said. "Aiden offered to introduce me to his grand-parents when we are on your planet. I'm curious to see Earth." Teyla smiled.
"You are coming with us?" Rodney asked.
"Yes, Dr. Weir offered me to travel to your planet with you. I'm very grateful that your people will receive me." Teyla simply said.
Rodney had more questions about Teyla and what was going to happen to the Athosian after she had left. It wasn't like Teyla to leave everything behind. But her injury had made that choice for her.
Carson and one of his nurses were wheeling in John on a gurney. Like Aiden, the major wore a brave expression, but he too radiated discomfort. Carson 'parked' him next to Aiden.
"Major, I have to stress again that I'm not comfortable with letting you go through the Gate in your condition." Carson fussed with the blanket around John. "You still got some swelling to your brain. You should still be on that IV." Carson said.
"No IV. I'm not going through the Gate with a needle sticking in me." John protested.
"Lad, you're recovering from a very serious head injury. Normally, I wouldn't let you travel through the Gate. You're not out of the woods yet."
Carson reached down for his kit and donned gloves. He prepared an IV needle and was about to set it up, when he saw John's head turned away from him. Carson hesitated; he didn't want to rush John.
It was Teyla who spoke. "Major Sheppard, let Dr. Beckett help you. You are not showing weakness because you are returning to your world injured. If it had not been for you, we would not have found the ZPM. I'm sure the people back on your planet know this."
"Lad, nobody back home expects anything from you. The SGC has all the information they need. Dr. Goodheart, the base CMO and her team is waiting for you back on Earth." Carson reassured him.
John still felt apprehensive. It wasn't so much that he was going back to Earth. In a way it beat being stuck as an invalid on Atlantis. In the Pegasus Galaxy he would be a liability to the others. The prospect of being wheeled down the ramp in front of the entire SGC, including General O'Neill was something he did not want to experience. He'd met the general only briefly, but he was one of the few superiors that he genuinely respected, not just because of their rank. Since he had gone on missions through the Stargate himself, he only respected O'Neill more. The man had gone through the Stargate for almost nine years and had lived to talk about it. John's first year wasn't even up and he was ready to be shipped back to Earth on a gurney.
"Good god, major. I read your file, you have flown MedEvac. With all the crazy shit you did, did you never once stop to consider that you could end up like that?" Rodney snapped, instantly regretting his words. His mouth would really be the death of him.
But instead of the expected explosion, Sheppard just looked up.
"You read my file. How'd you get access to that?" His voice was neutral, not indicating that he had taken offence at Rodney's outburst.
"I asked Radek." Rodney said innocently.
John only raised an eyebrow and nodded to Carson. Carson silently went ahead with setting up the IV.
"Speaking of Dr. Zelenka. Will he be joining us? I overheard Dr. Weir talking to him about returning to your planet." Teyla asked.
"He should be here any minute. I signed him out of the infirmary an hour ago. He went to his quarters to get ready." Carson answered.
"So it will be the old team plus Dr. Z." John commented.
"Yes, sir." Aiden replied, smiling for the first time that day.
Radek joined them. He looked pale and exhausted, but he too was dressed for their last mission.
"It looks like I'm the last one to arrive, yes?" Radek asked the group.
"We still have a few minutes." Rodney said.
"Sorry I was so late. I had to say one last good-bye to Kavanaugh." Radek smirked.
"Honestly I don't want to know. You all set?" Carson asked.
"Yeah, thanks, doc." Aiden nodded.
"You really did a great job, Carson. Voodoo methods aside." Rodney shook Carson's hand.
"Wouldn't be there without you doc." John said, attempting a wave.
"We appreciate all that you have done for us, doctor." Teyla bowed to touch foreheads with Carson.
"In a way, I must say I envy you. I missed Earth a lot in the time we were here." Carson said pensively and joined Elizabeth and Grodin at the computer console.
"Well I won't draw this out longer than it is necessary." Elizabeth announced. "I just want you to know, that without you we wouldn't be here today. I think that is all I need to say. Dr. Grodin, dial Earth."
The dialling sequences seemed to take ten times as long as usual. John watched in fascination as the chevrons locked one after another. This would never get old.
He stared, mesmerized, at the water-like event horizon. It was like being a kid again, when he believed in magic.
"You are good to go. Give General O'Neill my best." Elizabeth bid them good-bye.