Chapter 8: Is Now Found

The sound of waves and the stinging of the ice cold water were what finally brought me awake again. I stirred, trying to get a feel for my surroundings in the pitch blackness.

Big mistake!

I gasped as a thousand aches and pains flared, anything not hurting numb instead. It turned into a guttural moan of pure agony as another wave hit, water like knives plunging into my skin on my front and the solid slamming of my back into debris nearly knocking me out again. This was so not good. I needed to move, now, and I had no idea where to go. Though, actually, I definitely knew one direction not to go in. Slowly, ever so slowly, I raised myself up, feeling more debris fall from my body. Reaching out for something to lever myself up over the pile I had smashed against, I jerked back with a gasp, feeling a rush of scorching hot blood begin running down my arm. Sharp metal. I was shaking, and couldn't seem to stop.

Move, John! You're either in shock or hypothermia, or both!

Too bad I had lost my P-90. I could really have used the light right about now. As if my thoughts triggered it, I heard a popping sound in my head...

I was looking down on myself again, the room as bright as day in what I recognized as some sort of night vision. My body was lying on top of a pile of debris on the far end of the room. Or, what was left of the room. The whole thing was tilted at about a 45 degree angle down, with me on the lowest end. Twisted metal lay everywhere, some still glowing from whatever had exploded. Beyond me was a large hole where the waves were rolling in, unchecked.

Where were the others? Had they been swept out to sea?

No, there they were, at the highest end, just below me and almost out of range of this strange vision. They looked to be relatively intact, too, though Carson was wrapping Elizabeth's lower left leg in gauze. Currently, they were crowded onto a perch that looked to be made from a large console, partially ripped out of the floor. Rodney clutched his laptop to his chest like a security blanket, while Cadman was using the light on her P-90 to survey the room. Looking for me?

"JOHN!"

The voice rang in my ears, abruptly snapping me back to myself. For long moments, I laid there, trying to allow the stabbing in my brain to stop. No! I couldn't rest, not now! Danger. I knew it was there, though there was no physical signs. Somehow, I was on my feet and scrambling, irrationally consumed by fear of- What?

Some of the lights on the less damaged side of the room chose that moment to snap on, allowing dim shapes, at least, to be seen around me. Unfortunately, the area where I was also had power, and sparks began to rain down around me.

Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse.

I knew what needed to be done, though.

"McKay! That door near you! Get it open while we still have power!"

Wait a minute...Did I just shout that?

Elizabeth was shouting at me, but at the moment I couldn't return the favor. It was taking too much to keep crawling, fighting the pain, the shaky limbs, the numbness... What I wouldn't give for a nice warm infirmary bed right now! I was almost to them, not even remembering how I got there, when I saw Cadman stiffen, then swing her P-90 up into firing position. Oh shit! Elizabeth's voice,still unintelligible, went from encouragement to terror.

I wanted to look back, assess the threat. I wanted to tell them I was coming. I wanted to scream at McKay to get the stupid door open, already. I wanted to order Cadman to shoot whatever was on my ass. But I couldn't. The pain and fog in my brain that controlled me only allowed one goal, one focus. Get to the door and get everyone through.

Then, hands were grabbing my arms, hauling, dragging, and the sharp rattle of Cadman's weapon broke out. Still, I couldn't turn, my gaze fixed on the door and the astrophysicist frantically working on its control panel. A shower of sparks, a triumphant shout from McKay, and it was open.

"Go! Now!" My voice, of its own accord, ordering everyone through.

My body, though, decided that it was incapable of following its own command. Distantly, I heard yelling, felt myself falling, then the impact with the floor, but I no longer cared.

My world was night.

The first thing I heard was heart-broken sobbing.

What the-?

Opening my eyes to dim light, I slowly sat up, waiting for the pain to hit. Only it didn't.

Great. Now what! If I've lost more memory, I'll...hit McKay. Lame, Sheppard, very lame. Okay, where am I?

Slowly I stood up- and looked around in amazement at a completely empty Control Room. All the computers were there, chairs pushed neatly in, sunlight lighting everything up. Beside one open laptop, there was even a cup of coffee, still steaming, but there wasn't a soul around!

Nothing- except that crying. The sound was soft, child-like, so I wasn't completely surprised to find a tiny ball of misery curled up beneath the main Ancient computer console. Keeping my voice gentle, soft, I knelt down a few feet from the child.

"Hello there. Its okay, I won't hurt you. What's wrong?"

Waiting to see if I would get a response, I let my eyes wander over the shaking little form. A curly light blond head was buried in knees drawn up tightly to her chest. It was definitely a little girl, too. She was dressed in a frilly pink dress, skirt stretched over bony little knees. White tights adorned with tiny pink flowers covered legs that ended in shiny white patent leather dress shoes. She even had a lacy pink bow on a headband in her hair!

Now, where have I seen her before?

A muffled voice, half sob, half wail, interrupted my musings. "I-i-i-its a-a-l-l-l-l my fau-ult! I'm so-rrr-y!"

Like lightening, she uncurled and dashed to me, little arms clinging, head burying itself into my shoulder, heedless of the bulky vest. Her momentum knocked me backward onto my butt. She couldn't have been more than five or six years old.

What the hell is going on here? Had this child somehow caused everyone in Atlantis to disappear? I need answers.

Gently, I hugged her for a long minute, trying to sooth her enough that I might get a coherent answer.

"Easy...its okay. I need you to tell me what happened. Where is everyone? Where did you come from?"

She allowed me to push her gently away from me until she was sitting on my legs that I had stretched out in front of me. Her cherubic face was tear streaked and red, but would be adorable if she smiled. It was her eyes that caught and held my attention, though. They were large, round, and had incredible irises the same blue as the ocean surrounding Atlantis. The look they held would have melted the coldest Scrooge. Fear, sadness, confusion, a deep longing, a need for love that immediately set off every protective instinct I had.

"I-i-if I t-t-tell you, y-you'll leave! N-n-nobody h-here but me-e-e! But now I-I-I'm h-hur-rting you, too! I-i-i-i..." A terrified whisper, spoken into tiny hands that lay twisting in her lap.

Nobody was here but us? Except the last thing I remembered, I wasn't anywhere near here. I had to smile slightly as I recognized one of my own nervous habits mirrored back to me, though. I wanted to regard her as a possible threat, her words suspicious, but I just couldn't. Instead, I cupped her chin, softly pushing her head back up until her eyes once again met mine.

"Let's start with something simple. My name is John. Can you tell me yours?"

A barely audible mumble.

"What? It's okay, I won't hurt you."

This time, I caught the broken murmur, and felt my heart rise into my throat.

"At-t-tlan-tis..."

tbc...