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What's Left Behind - Chapter 4

Beckett loosened the blood pressure cuff and slipped it off Sheppard's arm. Dropping it onto the edge of the bed, he picked up the datapad and began recording his blood pressure on the chart. "Looks like everything is back to normal, Colonel. I must admit, you're making a splendid comeback. It's hard to believe that less than forty-eight hours ago, I was afraid of losing you."

"When can I go?" Sheppard seemed unimpressed by the doctor's statement and kept looking impatiently toward the infirmary door.

"Do you have somewhere to be?"

"No, just anxious to get back to my quarters. No offense, Doc, but the infirmary isn't my favorite place." Sheppard grinned impishly, relaxing Beckett's concern.

"Well, your temperature's been normal for well over twenty-four hours now, so the chances of it suddenly shooting up are rather remote. You're fit as a fiddle except for the weakness, and that will pass with a few days rest. I guess I could release you to your quarters. You are not to go anywhere but the mess hall for dinner tonight. After tonight, you can wander a bit, I suppose, but get plenty of rest and no running or fighting. Check back with me day after tomorrow and we'll see how you're getting on. Let me know if you have any problems."

Sheppard smiled. "Thanks, Doc. Where are my clothes?"

"I'll have the nurse bring them to you." He turned to leave just as McKay walked up to Sheppard's bed.

"Hey, Carson. How's our model patient?"

"I'm releasing him to his quarters. I've told him not to go anywhere but the mess hall tonight, so don't you be dragging him down to the lab."

McKay threw up his arms in mock self defense. "Okay, no lab. I just came to see how he was feeling." McKay shook his head as he walked the rest of the way over to Sheppard's bed. "What did you do to make him so grouchy?"

"I didn't do anything. It was probably seeing you." Thalan slid off the side of the bed and stretched as he smiled. He was almost free. Just a few more minutes and he would be out of here. He felt good, except for the weakness caused by the fever. The doctor was right, however, it was nothing a few days rest wouldn't fix. He was in no hurry for Sheppard to go back on duty. He wanted time to settle in and check things out.

"That was uncalled for."

It took Thalan a minute to catch up to what McKay was talking about. The man was getting annoying, yet he could be a source of information. He knew from Sheppard's thoughts about the banter they often shot back and forth.

"I just call them like I see them. He was in a good mood until you got here."

"Humph!" McKay plopped down in the chair next to the bed. "Keep insulting me and see if I walk you to the mess hall."

"I've been finding mess halls for almost half my life, McKay. I think I can find the one in Atlantis just fine."

They both turned as the nurse brought Sheppard's clothes. Thalan was almost shaking with excitement. He didn't have a few hours in which to kill Phoebus and then cease to exist, he had a lifetime in which to live and experience. He took the clothes and began to change.

McKay jumped up from the chair and began closing the curtain. "Jeez, Sheppard, what are you doing, putting on a peep show? Close the curtains for heavens sake. I thought you had more modesty than this."

Thalan was confused by the outburst. "It is nothing they haven't seen before and they do not have to look if they don't want to."

McKay stood with his back to Thalan. "Well . . . yeah . . . but still, you don't just start changing clothes in a room full of people."

Thalan pushed the anger back that he felt rising to McKay's accusatory tone of voice. He had to act like Sheppard. "Sorry, guess I wasn't thinking."

McKay's shoulders seemed to relax a bit. "Yeah, well, I guess it's just brain damage from the fever and the convulsions. It's a wonder you're not drooling and peeing your pants if the way you had Carson worried is anything to consider. I think you really scared him this time."

Thalan touched McKay's shoulder to let him know he was ready, causing him to jump. This Dr. McKay was very unusual, leaving him wondering why Sheppard would consider the man such a friend. It might be interesting to find out. He could feel Sheppard starting to strengthen again, but only mildly so. He was still no threat, so Thalan decided to use this time to do a little recon with the people who were close to Sheppard, starting with McKay.

"I'm ready. We can go now."

McKay turned and looked at him critically. "Are you sure you're up to this? I could get us a tray and meet you in your quarters."

Thalan shook his head. He'd been trapped, first by his situation with Phoebus, and then by his illness. Now that he was free, he wanted to get out and feel like it.

"I'm fine, McKay. Now let's get moving before I starve to death."

Beckett stopped them as they passed through the infirmary doors. "Don't forget Colonel, see me day after tomorrow. And I'd better warn you, it'll be several days before I clear you for duty. You really need to rest."

"Okay, Doc. I'll see you day after tomorrow. Come on, Rodney." Thalan hurried out the door before the doctor changed his mind.

Beckett stood in the door for a few moments, his mouth open slightly. He wasn't sure he'd ever gotten that kind of response from Sheppard when telling him he'd be off duty for several days. He had geared himself up for a fight, but hadn't even gotten so much as an objection. "Well, I'll be."

oOo

By the time they reached the mess hall, Thalan was beginning to understand Beckett's insistence that he stay in his room and rest. His muscles were beginning to feel heavy and achy and he was almost panting from the exertion. He could also feel a headache building and he knew it was Sheppard trying to fight his way back. He rubbed his forehead as he thought about how he needed to find a way to get rid of Sheppard for good.

"You okay?"

Thalan looked up to see McKay staring at him, worry furrowing his brow. He quickly moved his hand away from his face. "Yeah, I'm okay, just a little tired. I guess Carson knew what he was talking about when he told me not to wander around."

"I knew it. I should have brought you a tray to your quarters. We can go back . . . no, wait, that would mean a lot more walking. Maybe we should –"

"Rodney! It's okay, we're here now, so let's eat." Thalan walked into the mess hall and headed for the line. He needed to get his food and sit down before his legs gave out. He was beginning to wish Dr. McKay would leave – fending off his constant talking while trying to keep Sheppard at bay was sharply increasing his headache. Filling his tray, he quickly made his way to an empty table in the corner, wishing he'd lose McKay in the process.

"For someone who's tired, you sure are moving awfully fast. If I didn't know better, I'd think you were trying to lose me."

"How astute," Thalan muttered. McKay either didn't hear him or chose to ignore him. He picked up his fork and began to eat, knowing that once he had finished the food, he would have a good excuse to go back to Sheppard's quarters alone. Then he could rest and plan his next move.

"May I join you gentlemen?" Elizabeth paused briefly before setting her tray down beside Thalan. He looked at her, taking in her features for the first time. Before, he had been concerned about her trying to kill him or so sick he didn't care. He took in her slight frame, soft hair, and gentle eyes. Suddenly he thought about how long it had been since he'd been with a woman. Stasis aside, war didn't leave much time for love and romance. He felt Sheppard begin to kick up in protest at his thoughts and wondered briefly if the colonel had feelings for the expedition leader. He sensed a deep friendship and fierce desire to protect, but beyond that, he couldn't tell.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

Thalan was roused from his thoughts by her voice, realizing that she was now sitting next to him. He hadn't heard Rodney answer her or been aware of her taking the seat next to him. "Sorry . . . you like nice today."

Elizabeth tilted her head slightly as she frowned at him. "John, I look like I always do."

Thalan shrugged. "Maybe I'm starting to pay more attention," he said, winking at her before turning back to his food.

Elizabeth glanced across the table at Rodney, who had stopped chewing and was staring at Sheppard like he'd just grown a set of horns. It was at least reassuring to discover that she wasn't the only one taken aback by her second's comment. She chose to ignore it, hoping it was just a delayed reaction to the recent chain of events.

They ate in relative silence, Thalan lost in his thoughts so that he was unaware of the discomfort of pair beside him. He finished quickly and stood, preparing to leave. "I'm tired, so I'm going back to my quarters." He abruptly turned and left, leaving his tray sitting on the table between them.

Rodney and Elizabeth sat looking at the tray and then at each other. Rodney took a deep breath. "Is it just me, or is he off?"

Elizabeth frowned and chewed on her lower lip. "No, it's not just you. Something's . . . wrong."

"Maybe he just needs some time, you know, to get over everything. I know how freaky it is to have someone else in your head, but I can't imagine having that someone take over and make you hurt your friends. And then he was so sick . . . "

Elizabeth sighed as she looked at the door Sheppard had just passed through. "I hope you're right."

Finding Sheppard's quarters was relatively easy and once there, Thalan collapsed on the bed. His whole body seemed to ache with a deep exhaustion that went beyond anything he'd ever experienced and his head throbbed relentlessly. He could feel Sheppard trying to fight him and, although he wasn't posing a big problem yet, he knew it would get worse. He had connected with the pilot enough to realize that he would never give up and that could be a problem. But he was too tired to worry about that now. For now, he needed to rest. He kicked his boots off and rolled over on his side, pushing Sheppard deep inside his mind.

oOo

Thalan slept late the next morning, at least later than either he or Sheppard usually slept. He was surprised upon waking, but chalked it up to the weakness caused by the fever, and possibly from the constant battle with Sheppard. After showering, he decided he felt strong enough to investigate the city. He checked out the armory first, reveling in the array of weapons at his disposal. No one gave him a second look as he walked in, examined the weapons, and went over the inventory. He supposed they thought he was just checking up on his men and the supplies.

He went to the science labs next. He quietly peered into the various labs from the hall, not wanting to entertain questions about what he was doing. He wanted to get his own idea about the layout and the activity level of this section of the city, not completely trusting Sheppard's thoughts. He carefully watched for McKay, especially not wanting to fend off questions from him. Satisfied, he headed for the jumper bay.

He had to admit, the sight of the jumpers took his breath away. And with Sheppard's body, he would have the Ancient gene and the ability to pilot one. He relished the thought of soaring through the open sky in one of the ships. Running his hand along the outside of a jumper, he knew what he had to do. The minute an opportunity came up where they could take a jumper on a mission, he would dump the rest of the team and take the jumper for his own. A new body, a new life, and a new ship to take him where ever he wanted to go. Smiling, he patted the side of the jumper. "Not long now, baby."

"Sir, are you talking to the jumpers again?"

Thalan startled, looking around to see a soldier approaching him. He began to go into defensive mode until he saw the grin on the man's face.

"I keep telling you, sir, if you're going to talk to the jumpers, you'd better be more subtle about it. Not everyone understands the concept of talking to your ship. We don't want them hauling you off to the infirmary or something."

Thalan relaxed, unclenching his fist and rolling his shoulders forward. "I guess I just can't help it."

The young airman grinned. "Spoken like a true pilot. Did you need anything, Colonel Sheppard or are you just here to visit?"

Thalan smiled, thinking how easily he was slipping into Sheppard's role. "Just visiting. I was missing her a little."

"Don't worry, sir. I'm sure you'll be back in the saddle again soon."

Thalan frowned. "Back in the saddle?"

"Yes, sir. Surely you've heard that expression before."

Thalan had no idea what the man was talking about, but it was obvious he was supposed to. He tried unsuccessfully to access Sheppard's memories and draw some meaning from the phrase. Apparently this was not something Sheppard thought about much and was buried too deeply to access quickly, so he decided to play along.

"Oh, yeah, sorry. I guess I just haven't heard that in a while."

"No problem. I guess I watched too many old westerns when I was growing up."

Thalan knew better than to comment on the reference to westerns, so he just nodded like he understood. It was definitely time to move on.

"Well, I guess I'd better get out of here." He nodded to the airman as he left the jumper bay, thankful that the man didn't try to make further conversation. Since he was close, he decided to visit the control room next.

A few minutes later, he stood in the doorway to Elizabeth Weir's office, watching her type on her laptop. The more he watched her, the more attracted he was. He felt stirrings within him that it seemed he hadn't felt in an eternity. He longed to touch her skin, to let his fingers glide slowly down her throat, to let his lips brush up against hers.

Sensing his presence, Elizabeth looked up. "Oh, John, I didn't hear you walk up. How are you feeling today?"

He noticed that she seemed nervous. As he moved away from the door frame and took a step in her office, a sharp pain surged through his temples. Sheppard was back and screaming at him to leave her alone. He bit his lip as he fought against the pain and Sheppard's protests. He wasn't backing down – he was in charge now.

"I'm good. I thought I'd drop by and see you." He flashed Sheppard's smile, counting on it to disarm Elizabeth as he moved closer to her.

She stood up, slightly nervous after the comment in the mess hall the day before. Sheppard didn't seem right, but she couldn't put her finger on exactly what was wrong. "I'm just catching up on my reports. You know how it is."

Thalan continued to move closer until he was standing mere inches from her, making her exceedingly uncomfortable. She backed up a step, only to have him move forward, maintaining their close proximity. Her back to the book case, she looked up into his smug smile as she felt his breath on her face.

The pain stabbing through his temples was increasing with Sheppard's increased agitation as he screamed at Thalan to stop. "I think you work too hard, Elizabeth. Why don't you take a break?"

Elizabeth laughed nervously. "Are you suggesting I take one with you?"

"Who better? We could go out to the balcony and get a little privacy." Thalan pressed himself into her, wedging her in where she couldn't move. "What do you say?" He leaned forward and down, bringing his face closer to hers.

"John, this is not comfortable or appropriate. I would appreciate it if you would back up." Elizabeth could feel her heart pounding in her chest and her stomach was beginning to churn with fear. Her eyes darted to the windows in her office, furtively seeking help.

Thalan moved in tighter, until she could scarcely breathe, her head leaned back as far as it would go. She could feel the edges of the books pressing into her back as she fought the urge to scream.

"Don't fight it, Elizabeth, you know you . . . " Thalan's vision suddenly whited out with a flash as the pain in his head spiked. He moaned softly as he brought his hand up to his head and leaned heavily against Elizabeth.

"Dr. Weir, is everything all right here?" Major Lorne's sharp question filled Elizabeth with relief. She took the opportunity to push Sheppard away, causing him to stumble and almost fall. He caught himself on the back of the chair and used it to keep himself upright.

"John?" She stepped forward and grabbed his arm, trying to steady him. Lorne moved quickly into the room and stood behind Sheppard, his frown displaying his uncertainty at what was transpiring in the office. Sheppard opened his eyes as he moved his hand away from his face.

"Eliz . . . Eliza . . . " He grabbed his head with both hands and went down to his knees, groaning as he fell.

Elizabeth kneeled beside him and was aware of Lorne radioing for a medical team. She nodded at him to signal her thanks.

"John, it's okay. Carson's on his way."

John struggled to wrestle control from Thalan. He had managed to keep him from doing any harm to Elizabeth, but he couldn't seem to get enough control to warn her that Thalan was still there. He made one final push before being pushed back.

"Thalan . . . watch . . . No!"

Elizabeth watched as Sheppard seemed to struggle with himself before finally gasping and running his hand through his hair. He was wet with sweat and breathing heavily when Beckett arrived and kneeled on the other side.

"Colonel, what's wrong?"

Thalan had managed to regain control and he certainly did not want to return to the infirmary, but he would have to tell them something. His head still throbbed so bad he could barely think.

"Headache."

"Aye, I may have dismissed you too soon. Let's get you to the infirmary and take a look."

Thalan decided the best course of action at this point was probably to cooperate. He had a feeling he had blown it with Weir and now it was time for damage control. He just needed to convince them he hadn't been in his right mind. He could do the apology thing later and smooth things over.

"I don't feel so good, Doc."

Beckett and the nurse that had accompanied him helped Thalan to his feet. He was surprised to find his legs wobbly and if they hadn't been supporting him, he'd have fallen flat on his face. He leaned heavily against them as they helped him move toward the infirmary.

Lorne looked over at Elizabeth. "Are you okay? Because from my position it looked like –"

"Major Lorne, I'd appreciate it if you didn't say anything just yet. Let me have a chance to hear what Dr. Beckett says. Colonel Sheppard is certainly not himself, but it may be with good reason."

Lorne nodded. "Yes, ma'am. I hope that's the case."

Elizabeth sighed. "So do I."

THE END . . . of part 4.