A/N: Last chapter! Wow, I can't believe it's finished! Thanks for all the support and feedback you guys have given me; it really kept me going. Hope you enjoy the ending!


Elizabeth sank deeper into her pillows with a sigh. Colonel Caldwell, as well as the tag-team of McKay and Zelenka, had descended upon her shortly after she'd awoken, and they had finally left about a half an hour ago. It hadn't been soon enough. She ran a hand through her curls and grimaced to think what state her hair was in. She was lucky enough to get a shower in before her interrogation, but hadn't had time to do anything to make herself look presentable.

"How's the pain lass?" Carson's voice, coming from right next to her shoulder, made her jump. Elizabeth yelped when her head came into contact with the wall.

"Ach, I'm so sorry Elizabeth!" Carson apologized, his brows knit together in concern.

She winced and rubbed the back of her head. "Well, the medication was helping," she smiled wryly at the doctor.

Beckett started to apologize again but Elizabeth waved his attempt off, "Don't worry about it Carson, it's not your fault that I'm so high strung."

He smiled at her a bit sadly, "Aye, I'm sorry your vacation didn't allow you to get any real rest."

"That's not your fault either Carson," She pointed out.

Beckett shrugged, "That may be love; I'm just sorry you had to go through all that."

Elizabeth shifted uncomfortably and picked at her sheets, "Well I'm fine, so there's nothing to be sorry about."

Carson shook his head, "Whatever you say Elizabeth, but you'll be spending at least a couple more days in the infirmary," he held up his hand to forestall any protests, "It's just a precaution, but I want to make sure I didn't miss anything, and you need the time to heal properly."

Elizabeth grumbled a little but didn't say anything.

"And in a few days we can give that vacation idea another go, eh?" Carson winked at her and Elizabeth frowned, unsure whether he was joking or not.

She was about to say something when she became distracted by the sound of boots on the hard infirmary floor. It was a distinctive pattern, one she would have recognized anywhere.

"Hey, how's Beckett's latest prisoner?" John grinned as he walked over and sat in the chair next to Elizabeth's bed.

"I'll let you two be for a while," Carson smiled and patted her shoulder. Before taking his leave he shot John a look of mock malevolency.

After the doctor had gone, John fixed her with a concerned look, "So how are you really Elizabeth?"

She smiled tiredly, "Well, once the initial excitement had worn off and Rodney, Zelenka, and Caldwell took their 'discussion' elsewhere, I was finally able to get a little peace and quiet." She shrugged and glanced around the infirmary, "But Carson says I'm going to have to stay in here for a few days, and I don't know what I'm going to do to keep from going crazy."

John leaned in and whispered conspiratorially, "I thought you might be bored, so I brought you a present, something to keep you busy."

With a huge grin on his face he whipped out a small bundle. Elizabeth took the paper wrapped package as John furtively glanced from side to side. She raised an eyebrow as she opened her gift, one corner of her mouth twitching, "War and Peace?" She pulled out John's slightly worn, dog-eared copy of the book.

His grin grew even wider, "I figured it would be right up your alley."

Elizabeth had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. "I see you made it all the way to page 62," she smirked, fingering the last marked corner.

John's eyes danced with mischief, "Still right on schedule."

Unable to hold it in any longer, Elizabeth laughed, a silvery sound that warmed and filled the cold infirmary. "Thank you John, I appreciate the fact that you're willing to fall behind on your reading just so I can keep myself occupied."

"For you? Anything."

Elizabeth blushed and John looked away, embarrassed, when he realized the implications of what he'd said.

Elizabeth hesitantly reached out to touch his arm, but changed her mind. As she started to withdraw her hand, John caught it in his own, "You scared me 'Lizabeth," his voice, normally so strong, wavered slightly and his hand, usually so firm, had acquired a bit of a tremor. "I thought you were dead."

Elizabeth drew a shuddering breath and clasped his hand tightly, overwhelmed by his show of emotion. "I'm sorry," she had a hard time speaking around the lump that had formed in her throat.

He raised his eyes to meet hers, the tiniest hint of a smile gracing his lips, "Just don't do it again."

She let out a soft laugh at the reminder of a similar conversation they'd had less than two days before. It felt like it had been ages ago. "I'll try not to."

He reached out and smoothed her curls behind her ear, his thumb lingering on her cheek. He smiled then, really smiled, and stood to leave, "I really am glad you're okay Elizabeth," he let go of her hand, "I'm not sure what I would do without you."

He turned to go, giving her one last searching look. When he reached the door, something dawned on Elizabeth, "Hey John?"

He paused, "Yeah?"

"Do you know the story of Theseus and the labyrinth?"

He nodded, "Rodney filled me in. Why?"

She touched the spot on her cheek where his hand had rested, "Do you know what happened to Ariadne?"

He furrowed his brow as he thought about it, "Well if I remember correctly, there are a few different versions of what happened to her after Theseus abandoned her." He shrugged, "Some say she ended up fading away and dying, some that she was killed, and others that she met Dionysus. Of the stories that mention her meeting Dionysus, some say that he fell in love with her, but she couldn't find it in her heart to love again. Others say she fell in love with him, more deeply than she had with Theseus," John grinned playfully, "and that the two lived happily ever after, queen and king."

Elizabeth smiled knowingly, "I think the last version is the closest to the truth."

John nodded, "I like that version the best myself."

Their eyes met, green to green, sending a jolt of electricity through her body. John inhaled sharply and she knew he had been similarly affected. Elizabeth had to look away in order to steady her breathing and slow her racing heart.

"Good night Elizabeth," John's voice was low and husky.

She brought her hands up to cover her flushed cheeks, "Good night John."

When he had gone, Elizabeth let out a breath she hadn't even known she was holding and slid down further under the covers, a funny warm sensation filling her entire being. She curled up on her side and unconsciously smiled against her pillow, thinking about the ancient's mysterious words, "In time you will understand."

Elizabeth's last thought before her eyes closed was, I think I've figured it out now Ariadne, I really think I have; and then she slipped into a deep, untroubled sleep.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

This time she dreamed about standing on one of Atlantis' balconies, pure sunshine glistening on the water and a light breeze playing with her hair as she gazed out over the endless ocean. The same strange figure from her earlier dream stood farther away, cloaked in a shadow cast by one of the city's spires.

"I'm glad I could save you Ariadne," the man whispered.

She gasped as he stepped out of the darkness and she could finally see who he was. John Sheppard's beautiful sage-green eyes came to rest on her face and he smiled gently, "I would never have let you fall."

She smiled back, "I know."