Stargate Atlantis: Path of the Storm

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Chapter Thirty Two

It had been a couple of hours since Sheppard had been rescued but no one had caught sight of him since his visit to the infirmary. After being checked out by Carson Beckett, he had retreated to his quarters because he needed some time alone to think and reflect on the events of the past few days.

As he was led out of the building that had been his prison, Stackhouse and Herring had been waiting for him and John had never been so relieved to see them, Kolya hadn't injured them but he hadn't understood why he didn't just take Stackhouse with him. Was it because he had seen Sheppard in action and Stackhouse was just some random soldier he knew nothing about? It didn't matter as Kolya had gotten away, yet again.

He had also learned upon his return to Atlantis that Elizabeth had sent Bates and a team to retrieve the Jumper and so by now that was safely back in the Jumper bay where it belonged. The not so fun news had been about Teyla Emmagan who was still in a coma despite Carson's best efforts to stabilize her but he wouldn't stop working until he found something to counteract the toxin that was invading her system.

John winced as he put the sling he had been provided with on and sipped from his canteen. One of the first things he had done was ask for food and water, which he hadn't been allowed until the doctor had given him the all clear. The door to his quarter chimed causing him to jump slightly; he placed the canteen down while getting to his feet. Sheppard strolled over to the door and waved his hand over the panel to allow whomever it was entrance.

The doors pulled back to reveal Elizabeth Weir.

"Hey," he said quietly.

"Hey," she replied looking him up and down, Weir had seen him when they had first arrived. He had looked like Hell and had to rely on Ford for support because the injuries he had sustained were brutal. "Can I come in?" Sheppard stepped out the way for her, silently inviting her in. Weir walked past him, glanced around the room before turning around. "How are you feeling?"

Sheppard gave that question some consideration, as there were so many answers he had but went for the simplest one. An answer that wouldn't give him away or reveal anything he didn't want her to know. "Better than I was," he answered.

"Happy to hear it," she said with a smile, playing with her hands nervously and John didn't fail to notice this little action. He glanced down to them then back up to her eyes.

"Something wrong?" he asked bluntly.

"Wrong?" Weir asked with a frown then smiled. "No, of course not." She waited a moment and tilted her head to one side. "The Bre'tar contacted us."

"And what did they want?" Sheppard said, feeling the urge to fold his arms but given his present condition that wasn't an option.

"To plead forgiveness I guess," she said gently while folding her own arms. "And to tell us that Silveas passed away. They'll be electing a new leader."

"Hopefully one with some more sense than the last," Sheppard retorted bitterly, the words leaving his mouth without even thinking about it and he didn't even want to take the comment back.

"Let's hope," Weir replied understanding his bitterness over the situation. After all, it was Silveas who had given Kolya the opportunity to get to Sheppard and she realized that this was something John would never forgive. "I spoke with Phena, she's the one who provided us with the means to help Teyla." She paused once more while looking down to the floor, she had to choose her words carefully before she continued. "She hopes to continue a dialogue between our two people."

"Does she now," Sheppard said with a degree of both sarcasm and skepticism. Again, Elizabeth could under his anger but he couldn't allow the action of one man to dictate his judgment.

"I think they've learned their lesson John," Elizabeth said softly as she looked up to him. "They lost some of their own people to Kolya." His expression softened gradually as the memory of what happened to Jeana surfaced. "I have some good news though." Sheppard looked up to her to show she still had his attention. "Teyla's awake," she continued brightly.

Despite his tiredness and the aches in his joints, Sheppard gave the first honest to god smile he had in days. "That's great."

"And she's anxious to see you."

"Well…I guess I'll have to make it a point to go see her."

Weir smiled to him then walked over to the door to let herself out. Sheppard's smile failed and he returned his gaze to the floor once more as she opened the door then looked back to him. "John?" He looked up at her. "You okay?"

Why was everybody asking him that question? Even before he stepped through the gate, Ford had tried to get him to open up and tell him what happened and the truth was that Sheppard wasn't ready to share that experience with anyone just yet. "Just thinking about Kolya's proposition," Sheppard answered avoiding the question. "He said that it would put us in a great position, get an advantage over the Wraith."

"You can't have known that," Elizabeth answered logically. "He would have told you anything to get you to do it."

"I know," Sheppard replied quietly and put one hand on his hip before continuing. "But I can't help thinking…" He looked up to her. "What if he was right? What if it was something worth fighting for?

Elizabeth stared at him, she had no answers for him and the question was a rhetorical one. She offered him a tender smile, told him to get some rest then left.

--

Instead of taking Weir's advice, Sheppard decided to pay Teyla a visit before retiring to his bed. When he arrived in the infirmary, he could clearly see (and hear) that Teyla already had some visitors in the form of Aiden Ford and Rodney McKay. They all stopped talking when he appeared in the doorway.

"Well if it isn't Action Man," Rodney quipped. John shot him a look as he crossed the room, grabbed a chair and sat down.

"How's the arm sir?" Ford asked.

"Not broken," Sheppard said then looked over to Teyla. "Hey Teyla."

"It is good to see you Major," she said softly.

"Right back atcha," he said with a small smile but he had never seen her look so worse. Teyla still had all sorts of machine hooked up to her and was paler than her normal complexion but he guessed he was no oil painting either at the moment. "How you feeling?"

"I am feeling better," Teyla replied sitting up as best she could. "However, Doctor Beckett wishes to keep me here another 24 hours."

"He sure wants to make sure you're okay," John answered calmly.

"I know." The Athosian glanced over to Ford and McKay who had been keeping her company. "Rest assured," Teyla said with a smile that radiated. "I will be back before you know it."

"Happy to hear it," Sheppard retorted feeling a grin pull at the edge of his lips.

A silence fell across the room but there was nothing uncomfortable about it and no one made any attempt at conversation. That was until Ford reached into his pocket and pulled out a pack of playing cards. "What are you doing?" McKay asked slowly while pulling a face.

"Cards," Ford said in explanation while laying them out on an adjustable table and pushing it over to Teyla. "Something to cheer Teyla up."

"I don't understand," Teyla replied watching him in fascination.

"When people are in hospital," John said speaking up. "Their visitors bring games or something in to pass the time. It's entertainment."

"And since when did that help?" McKay said completely unconvinced.

"Let me guess," John replied looking over to him. "No games in Canadian hospitals?" The glare that McKay shot in the direction of the air force pilot was incredible and Ford decided it was best to intervene before things got out of hand. Not that they would but there was always a chance.

"So…I was thinking we could play poker or something," Ford said as John sat back with a lazy grin.

"Oh yes…teach her how to gamble," McKay said sarcastically while sitting back and folding his arms. "Cause that'll be a real help!"

"Did I say anything about gambling?" Ford retorted.

"Must be a Canadian thing," Sheppard added quietly but McKay missed the comment.

"Well…then could we play solitaire perhaps?" McKay asked with a hopeful expression.

"Solitaire?" Ford asked.

"What's wrong with solitaire?" McKay answered defensively.

"Dude…" Ford, said before repeating as if it were a joke: "Solitaire?"

McKay was getting tired of this and it showed in his expression. "And the problem with solitaire is…Lieutenant?"

"There's four of us," Ford replied as if that were an obvious enough observation.

"So?" McKay answered as Ford began to deal out four sets of cards.

Teyla watched them with a small smile, then caught Sheppard's eye as Ford and McKay continued arguing over why they should play Poker instead of Solitaire and vice versa. John was partial to Solitaire himself but only when it was an individual game, he never heard of four people playing together, that was just sad.

"Are you okay Major?" she asked as quietly as possible.

Sheppard looked to each of them in turn, just a few hours ago he thought he would never see any of these people again and look at him now. He was back with his team and they weren't going anywhere, at least not alone.

"I'm good," he said looking back to Teyla and holding her gaze for a moment then scooped up the cards Ford had dealt him. He then looked over to McKay who saw Sheppard looking over in his direction then covered his cards possessively. John rolled his eyes and laid down the cards while declaring: "I'm in."

He took one more look around his team; his friends. John Sheppard was good because he realized he was finally back and there was no where else he would rather be. The old saying was really true and for the first time in his life, John understood its meaning.

There truly was; No Place Like Home.

THE END

A/N: Well it's taken six months on and off but I was glad to finally write those words. I've enjoyed writing the story and thanks to Common Ground for the inspiration to carry on, may Kolya return once more and we see John get some much-deserved revenge! Thanks to all that have read it and watch this space for another one currently in progress, John centric or McKay centric. Still undecided.

Long live Atlantis!

Kelly