Disorganised? For sure. If you didn't do such a marvelous job, I'm not sure this thing would be anything but gibberish :) Yeah Angela!

Thanks for the wonderful comments,you people are maaaarvelous!

Energy

Ronon approached them slowly. They seemed unharmed and remarkably ungelatined, sitting up groaning and moaning. McKay leaned against the wall but quickly changed tactics when his back started sinking in. He scooted away and stood hurriedly.

"What the hell is that?" He directed his question at Ronon, who seemed to be the most aware of the group. With a glance at Teyla's still closed eyes and at Sheppard's frown, Rodney thought he had made a judicious choice.

"Jell-O."

"What?" Annoyed, somewhat angry and voice lilting with superiority of the 'you are an idiot and yet I am obligated to ask you for information' kind, McKay revised his evaluation. Not so judicious in the end.

"It's bouncy, squishy, coloured and see-through. Jell-O."

"Right, of course, did you come up with that conclusion yourself or did Watson come around to give you a hand?" At Ronon's puzzled look, McKay held up a hand. "Never mind that. Where are we, how did we get here?"

"Don't know. We were walking, you were whining, you all fell and I woke up here. Found you in the wall." There was more, of course there was more. He could add that he had just gotten a ticket for a private 'memoirs screening', but he did not. Couldn't spring this on them without warning or a plan. Besides, it was possible that it wouldn't happen again, they were out of the wall weren't they? They didn't seem to remember anything; it would be useless embarrassment to tell them.

"Right. Well, I'm supposing you didn't find our packs?" He patted his vest and drew out a Life Sign Detector. "Seems we're the only life-signs in the immediate vicinity, that's somewhat positive, isn't it?"

"Did you see anyone?" Sheppard also patted his vest. He still had his weapons, nothing was missing, nothing had been removed at all. It eased his worry. Whoever had brought them here either were not very smart or had no intention of harming them.

"No. I stopped here when I found you. There was a voice, said it would bring food."

"Voice? What kind of voice?" Sheppard enquired after the voice as McKay enquired after the food. "Food? What kind of food?"

"Loud, echoed all around. Didn't see anyone, but it sounds human. There's not much here but I didn't go too far. I stuck close to where you were."

"Alright, we should scout out the area. Teyla, you and McKay stay here, try to figure out what is that thing and what it's doing."

"Oh sure, I'll write you up a nice, tidy report while you go cavorting with your buddy there, is that to your liking?"

"Nah, just tell me when I come back, it'll be fine, don't like reports all that much." Sheppard took out his Beretta and followed Ronon.

"You ok?"

"Sure, didn't wake up in a wall."

"Yeah well, technically, neither did I. What happened in there?"

"Not much from what I could see. Good camouflage in that thing, nearly walked right by the spot."

"Ummm."

The two men walked through the area, side by side, staying alert. There was only the 'squish' as far as the eye could see. No door, windows, furniture. No signs of a civilisation, or even life forms.

"Nothing much here, let's head back."

Ronon nodded and turned back, matching his step with Sheppard's. When they reached the area where they had left Teyla and McKay, they found them sitting around a mountain of food. McKay was obviously explaining something to Teyla if the expansive movement of his arms were any indicators.

"It's really fascinating! If we could find out who created and controls this, we could adapt it to so many things! Just on mission like these, we could power any sort of equipment we wanted!"

Teyla looked up as she heard them, a grateful look upon her face. "Have you found anything of interest, Colonel?"

"Nah, mostly Jell-O…"

"Well, that is something quite interesting you know." McKay rose to his feet, chewing a piece of fruit. "This substance had incredible power harnessing capabilities. I think it draws it from whatever living matter it comes in contact with. Look, if I just put my hand through it…look, look, do you see that, massive spike. The further I go in, the more it rises." McKay kept pushing his arm forward, up to the shoulder.

"McKay!" Sheppard stepped over and pulled him out. "Jesus, don't go in there! You don't even know what it does!"

"It's not dangerous! Look!" McKay grabbed Sheppard's hand and attempted to pull him in. The Colonel wrenched himself away from the scientist's grasp.

"Don't!"

"Really, Colonel, I've done it plenty of times already, nothing happens, there's just a power increase."

"Yeah well, I don't want to go in that thing!" He knew it was silly, but it felt too much like the material of the Sancta and it was incredibly unnerving. The way it closed over the skin. He felt like it was pulling him in, like it wouldn't let go until Sheppard gave up, gave himself to it. A shiver ran through him as he remembered his numerous encounters with the horrible device.

"Fine. Don't! Teyla'll do it! She's willing to help me for the betterment of science, for the sake of a new discover which, might I add, would serve so many applications! I was just saying, we could take it on missions, use it to power anything that's not a power-eater. It would be a simple matter of incorporating it! If we could just meet the people who created it…it's amazing really! They must be an incredibly advanced civilisation."

"Who seem to have kidnapped us and have made no effort to communicate, except with Ronon."

"They gave us food and water, didn't they? They can't want us dead if they're feeding us! Speaking of which, you should try that thing. It's really good, sort of a cross between, ummmm, a pear and a strawberry I'd say. You like berries don't you? You were moaning over them the other day anyways, on that planet, the one with all the mime people!"

"They are the Torounds Rodney, and they have made a vow of silence."

"Yeah yeah, whatever they're called. It's still good food." McKay turned away, oblivious to the effect his innocuous comment had had on his team leader. Teyla was not so unaware. "Colonel?"

"Yeah?" Sheppard shook himself out of his reminiscing. It was a coincidence. That fruit didn't have anything to do with Oblee, with his essence, with the Sancta. It was just a damn coincidence. The Jell-O thing, the fruit, the dread, the weight of lead in the pit of his stomach. Just a big, disturbing coincidence.

"Are you unwell?"

"No, I'm fine…hungry I guess…" He tried his charming smile, his 'everything's honky-dory folks' smile, but it didn't take. Teyla saw through it now, saw through him too easily sometimes.

As they ate, McKay walked around their immediate area, sinking various body parts in the squish, his eyes fixed on his scanner, mumbling to himself. Sheppard sank his teeth into the fruit McKay had indicated and the taste was exactly the same. He had eaten so many of them whilst he was detained with the others, waiting to give back his life to a man he would never meet. He couldn't go through with this again, but the memories were so close, triggered by the taste exploding on his tongue. He sat quietly, remembering how it had been to be left behind, and not only then. No, John Sheppard had been left behind plenty of times before, either by conscious choice or by death. His mother, his father, his friends, his team. Everyone eventually left him, discarded him, abandoned him.

He shook his head. What the hell had brought this on? God, his father! He hadn't thought of him in years, and yet he could picture the scene so clearly. The empty house, the banister under his hand, the man who couldn't cope with having a son. His eyes sought out Rodney's position. He hadn't left…yet. Been too close too many time, he'd do it eventually. Turn his back on him, whether intentionally or not. He watched him put his arm in the squish but he didn't stop there. He continued pushing in, eyes fixed to the scanner. He put in a leg and Sheppard had enough. He jumped to his feet, stalked to the man's position and yanked him out.

"Hey!"

"What the hell is wrong with you? Don't go in there!"

"It's completely safe, I told you!"

"You don't know that! Don't go in."

"I'm just trying to determine how it works, you told me to!"

"You've played around enough." Sheppard pulled him roughly away and forced him to sit by Ronon.

"Ok, that's not necessary! I have work to do, that's why I'm here you know, to examine things. I don't go on missions because I enjoy them and certainly not to be manhandled by a despotic Colonel!" McKay rose to his feet, intent on going back to his experiment.

Sheppard pushed him back down to the ground, rougher than he intended. "You sit there and don't move a muscle!"

"What's wrong with you? Jesus Sheppard! You could've really hurt me just then!"

"You stuff yourself in that wall again, I just might do that!"

"You're threatening me with random acts of violence, again! That's so very mature!"

"Sometimes you don't give me much choice! Don't go in there, we don't know what it is or what it does!"

"We're not going to find out if we don't! You think the answer's going to pop right in front of our faces and dance the mambo? It doesn't work that way!"

"Ok, fine, you know what? You want to go in there, you go in there! See if I give a damn. Just more paperwork that's all. A dead astrophysicist it just an extra report. It's not like we'd have to bring back your body or anything." The words left a bitter taste in his mouth. A dead astrophysicist. Not just any, a dead Rodney McKay. Yeah, that wouldn't work too well for Sheppard. Elizabeth had been right, sometimes you had to save Rodney from himself, and why was he even on that train of thought. God, that Arcturus fiasco was so long ago, he'd done the forgive and forget thing! Why was it back? Why was it trailing along Andy and his stupid crash? No way was Rodney going that way! He was needed here, he wasn't going to be allowed to endanger himself anymore!

"I'm not going to die in there Sheppard! Don't be so melodramatic, you're military, it doesn't suit you at all!"

"I'm tuning you out now McKay. Ronon, you can watch him, I need a break!"

Rodney stood still, confused and hesitant. "Well…that's just rude you know…you can't sic Ronon on me!"

"Tuning you out." Sheppard took out his weapon and stalked away. Teyla and Ronon looked at each other, concerned. Ronon made a movement with his head, indicating the Colonel. He would stay with McKay, she should go and see what was wrong. Though he knew exactly what was happening. Apparently, memories that had been pulled to the front of the mind had not receded gently back into the corner to which they had been neatly packed away. He should tell them what had been done in the walls, he should say that it was dangerous, prevent McKay from going in. If he did and the images came back whilst Teyla and Sheppard were there to witness, they would know and he wouldn't be able to see them anymore! He hoped they would not discover the true purpose of the substance, he longed to see more.

Disgusted with himself as he realised where his thoughts were leading him, Ronon looked at McKay, still hovering, watching as Sheppard and Teyla walked away. "Sit down McKay."

That worked.

"Colonel!"

Sheppard sighed. He didn't want company, didn't want Teyla's concerned gaze, searching his features, finding whatever was there to be found. "Teyla."

"Are you unwell?"

"Nah, I'm fine. You know McKay, always there to piss people off."

"I doubt that was his intention."

"Yeah…I just needed a break."

"I can relate to that feeling. He has been quite overwhelming in his enthusiasm."

"He tends to do that."

They walked in silence for a moment, both lost in thoughts, in memories so long ago forgotten.

Ronon watched McKay carefully, as he sat, a thoughtful look upon his face. He was no longer consulting his scanner, nor observing the walls, nor mumbling under his breath about Colonels who didn't respect anything and had to lord over one and all. He was silent, somewhat sullen, lost in thoughts. Not for the first time, Ronon felt sullied. He was certain that the thoughts McKay entertained were those he saw in his own mind. Images that were now branded into him. Unpleasant flashes of fear, of loneliness, of anger and grief. This would not do, he should say something.

"McKay."

"What?"

"You shouldn't go in the squish."

"What now? You taking over Sheppard's slack? You want to yell and belittle my work? Go ahead, I'm all ears. You tell me how absolutely insignificant I am, how I can't take care of myself. A waste of space! Is that what you want to say? You'd like me off these missions wouldn't you? I'm just an annoying bastard, that what's you all think isn't it? That's what everybody always think!" As he said the word, he heard the many voices in his head, those that had told him such things at some point in time. His parents, his teachers, his friends, colleagues and so many people who just didn't get it. Couldn't be bothered to even try.

"No. It's dangerous and if you get stuck in there again, I'm not going after you." Perhaps it would be better for Ronon to think carefully before he spoke with them, this had not been the best idea, had not helped at all.

"That's so nice of you to say! I'm glad to know I'm safe here! Wow, I feel so much better, thanks!" He rose and stomped away, stumbling as his feet sank slightly into the squish.

"McKay!" In one smooth motion, Ronon was up and following. Neither they nor the other half of the team had walked very far before the voice resounded throughout the environment.

"You are asked to reconvene at the point of sustenance. Do so immediately."

It took but a minute and all were standing around the trays.

"Position yourselves, back against the Pensey."

"What's the Pensey!"

There was a moment of silent after McKay's question.

"It is that which you refer to as the Squish."

"Oh."

"This isn't going to work for us." Not at all. Sheppard was not allowing his team in there ever again, was certainly not willing to go back either!

"We are peaceful explorers, we mean you no harm. If we could open dialogue between our people and –"

The squish suddenly moulded itself to Rodney's left foot and he began to scream, his hand going to his head, fingers digging into his scalp, nails scratching. He screamed in a long, loud, horribly painful way. No words, just a howling that came from the gut.

"Ok! Stop! Stop! You've made your point, we're going back in! There's no need for this!"

As suddenly as it had started, the yelling stopped and McKay collapsed to the ground, tearful eyes closing.

"Position yourselves, back against the Pensey."

Sheppard was kneeling by Rodney's side. "McKay. Hey, you alright?"

Eyelids slid up to reveal blue, bloodshot eyes. "Yeah…" He attempted to sit up. "Ok, maybe not. That hurt…a lot."

"Looked like it."

Teyla and Ronon looked on worriedly as Sheppard examined McKay for injuries. "Are you hurt anywhere?"

"No...it was my head. Like, some giant jackhammer. Mostly gone now…usual headache left."

The voice interrupted any answer that might've come forth. "Position yourselves!"

Sheppard slid an arm around McKay's torso and helped him up. Groaning, they managed to get themselves against the squish, Teyla and Ronon offering support on the other side. It took but a moment and the squish enveloped them. Only Ronon was left, stepping away from the wall, watching as their eyes closed. They seemed to fall asleep, Teyla and Sheppard's arms still around McKay, holding him up until the last moment. Frozen in time.

He couldn't help the shiver of excitement that ran up his spine as images appeared and though he was pulled in by them, oblivious to the world, he gave one last thought of regret. I should've told them, we need to get away from here. This isn't right.