A/N: Ready for some answers?

Chapter 9: Cause and Effects

Atlantis! It wasn't possible! Was it?

"I-ah...What did you just say?"

A tiny smile flickered across the tear-streaked face and her voice was a little steadier this time. My astonishment reassured her, for some odd reason. "I'm Atlantis. Well, kinda. We're inside a virtual world created by the computer so I can talk to you."

Atlantis really was a child! This could be bad on so many levels.

"H-how!" This time is was me stuttering.

The sweet face screwed up in thought, little head just slightly cocked to one side, the rest of her suddenly still. At that moment, she reminded me so strongly of Rodney that I was forced to bite back a laugh. I just hoped she didn't have the same temper McKay had displayed in Elizabeth's office that day. Then again, considering everything that had happened, maybe she did.

"Can I tell it as a story? That's easiest, 'cause I've heard you do it lots of times." At my mildly amused nod, she continued. "A long time ago..."

Her nose crinkled as she frowned. "It wasn't in a galaxy far, far away, though, it really happened here. Is that okay?"

I had to smile at that. Call me Colonel Softy. "Sure it is."

"Okay. A long time ago, some people kinda like you built this city and a really powerful, smart computer to run it. She was made to work with them, help them, and look after them. But the enemies came, and they left her all alone under the water... She slept until you came. You made her happy again because she could read you, help you, even if she can't make most of the others understand. She was 'specially happy when you started to call the city home." She paused, swiping away a few tears that welled up once again. "But the enemies came back again, and you were going to leave her!"

Uh oh. I do not like where this is going!

My normal relations with computers- the non-alien talking to you kind- usually involved swearing and mild physical violence. How was I supposed to relate to this one?

So don't think of her as a computer, you idiot. Treat her like what she is, a kid.

As if reading my thoughts, she pinned me with the patented Weir stare. The one that said 'I'm amused, but I'm trying very hard not to be, because you're being a two-year-old, and someone has to be the adult around here.' Then the nervous child was back.

"She wasn't angry with you, she knew you were trying to save us from the enemies. But you said you'd never leave people behind, so she made me. You're supposed to care about me, and not leave us! But I'm not very good at being a human. I keep hurting you and I don't mean to! Nobody said being a human was so hard!" Abruptly, her eyes went hard and angry. "I heard you say you'd leave! That made me really mad!"

Ice cold swept through me in sudden realization.

"You! You took my memories!" The chill of shock was quickly replaced by red hot anger. "How could you take them! You took away part of me, who I am!"

She scrambled back from me, terrified, as I surged to my feet, looking for an inanimate object to abuse. One well placed kick sent a trash can flying over the railing, landing below with a resounding clang. The little girl shrieked, hands clamping over her ears.

"Damn you! Do you have any idea of the hell you just put me through!"

"I'm sorry! I didn't- They would have done it! I- we need you!" Anger and pain were thrown right back at me, spinning me back around to face-

A terrified, confused, sobbing little kid.

That took the heat right out of my rage. I'd just screamed at a child... Forcing myself back into control, I sank once more to the floor. Getting angry was useless, what was done was done. Closing my eyes, I took a deep, calming breath, then held out my hands to the girl. There just wasn't any way I could think of this little one as Atlantis.

"Okay...Allie...let's try this again. What, exactly, did you do?"

At my words, she gulped back her sobs, though she wouldn't approach, staring at me like a wary baby animal.

"You-you told that other man you were leaving, and I got scared. I found a way- in the database- to block memories, so when you came back hurt... I did it. I let the mean nurse give the doctor the wrong medicine for you, even though I could have stopped him. I made sure it wasn't enough to do more then make you sick, though. Not like the bad one wanted. It let me slip in and push back your memories, only I pushed too much and couldn't stop."

Now she looked at her shoes, guilty, and I was reminded how mercurial children's moods can be.

Wait a minute! Did she just imply that someone tried to poison me? Is that what everyone's been hiding?

I couldn't get distracted now, though. I was finally getting answers to my more immediate problems. Things were actually making sense. Weird, slightly insane, unbelievable answers, but at least they were fitting together.

"And the false memories?"

Blond hair flapped as her head shook violently. "Not false, just what the city saw. I couldn't stop pushing back your memories, so I tried to give you the others, to fix it. It didn't work, though. It just made us both hurt, 'an things went crazy wrong. I couldn't stop them. Will you tell Ronon I didn't mean to hurt his leg? I like him."

Now I was getting a headache. "The malfunctions everywhere?"

A miserable nod and a mumble.

"What?"

"Except the big ones."

"Oh? Those were on purpose? With the ZPM?" I knew a number of people who wouldn't be pleased to hear that, including me. "Why?"

" 'Cause Dr. Smartypants wouldn't leave you alone! He was bein' mean! So I made him have to go away." Allie's chin came up defiantly, a gleam in her eye. This was not a child to mess around with.

Hmmm...To tell McKay or not to tell McKay, that is the question. He'd been played by a five-year-old!

"And you'll stop all this now? You'll remove the block on my memories? Do I have a promise?"

"I promise. I thought it was okay because the ones from before would have done it, but everything I've seen of your people say it was wrong."

'The ones from before... The Ancients! Why was I not surprised? I'd noticed from the old reports that for a supposedly highly advanced race, their moral code needed a little work. It seemed like whenever it came down to a choice between their convenience, their ideas, and the possible harming of other beings, they all too often chose themselves.

How many lives could Chaya save if they allowed her to welcome refugees to her planet? Or not punish her for helping people in the first place? How many people had died because they came across one of those Ancient Repositories and didn't have a naked alien handy to keep their brain from frying? Poor kid, having those people as parents, as role models... Deep breaths, John. There aren't any around for you to maim.

"I've stopped blocking your memories, so they should start coming back now. It just may take a little time. I'm sorry. Will you still be my friend?"

I was no match for that, especially when I found myself in a position I'd never been in before. On the receiving end of the puppy dog eyes and the pouting lip. Ouch. I opened my arms and she happily scrambled in for a tight hug. After a few minutes, though, I leaned back and looked her sternly in the eye.

"Is there a way for you to talk to me after I go...back?"

A bit lip. "Yes...I think I can access your laptop..."

"Okay. I promise to talk to you about whatever made me say I was leaving. Frankly, even without my memories, it would have to be pretty dam-er-darned drastic. But you, young lady, will come and talk to me before ever doing something like all this!"

I tried by best to look stern, to copy the expression I'd seen so often on the face of my father, as painful as that was. How the hell was I supposed to go about raising the child of a city who existed within the central computer of that city?

So much for planned parenthood!

Tbc...