AN: Hello, all, I hope you're all enjoying this story. I think I got the tech part right but if it needs adjusting let me know.


"Little one, you must be careful," Oma softly chided, as she looked down on her daughter and Doctor Weir.

"It's difficult to leave either of them when I visit," Shifu admitted. "Is it wrong for me to wish I could stay with them, to wish we could be a family?"

"Of course not," she assured him. "I too wish you could remain in human form to live with Daniel and Sha're, and I know they too long for the same thing. However, one of the greatest challenges of existence on any level is accepting that what we wish cannot always be."

"Daniel gave me a new teaching," the young boy exclaimed with excitement. "It says, 'God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change. The courage to change the things I can. And the wisdom to know the difference.' It appears I need to develop more serenity."

"How can he be so wise in human form, and so utterly reckless when he ascends?" Oma muttered.

"It is a mystery, Grandmother," Shifu smirked.

"I will have to have a long talk with my son," Oma sighed. "His influence on you is affecting your humor for the worse."

"Elizabeth, is having a trying day," Shifu stated in a mournful tone.

"She is strong," Oma assured. "She has many who will help her heal. All things take time, my Sunbeam."


Sha're loved watching the sunrise over the desert horizon. True, she would never see the beauty of a sunrise from her home world again, but she did find exquisite joy in the beauty of her temporary home. In fact, she could happily forever if she only had her husband at her side. A scream from inside the modest dwelling tore her away from her contemplations as she turned to tend to her beloved soul-sister. Her dear Elizabeth bore so much pain from the scars of the torture the human form replicators put her through, and her final 'death' at the hands of her Tau'ri brethren. Through her years as a host to Amuanet and later as an ascended being, her wonder about technology primitive or otherwise ceased to exist. She mourned the loss of the part of her enthralled by things like pens and flashlights, but also appreciated her knowledge as it opened the way for her to assist in the thwarting the imminent extinction of the Asgard and saving Elizabeth. However, even with her knowledge and the abilities she insisted on retaining upon re-taking her human form, she could not heal the emotional sickness her dear friend suffered. Her failure galled her.

"John! Oh, John, look at me just once! Please, John! LOOK AT ME! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD LOOK AT ME!" Elizabeth screamed with the same agony Sha're felt possessed by Amaunet when her soul screamed for Daniel.

She ran into Elizabeth's room trying to hold her as the other woman violently thrashed in her bed. "Elizabeth, wake up! You are safe now!" she shouted over the screams.

"WHY WON'T YOU LOOK AT ME, JOHN?" Elizabeth wailed, as tears flowed out of her closed eyes.

Sha're continued trying to rouse Elizabeth with soothing words gently shaking her, but her dreams held on too tightly. Sighing the young Abadonyian woman slowly walked to their water pot. "Oh, dear friend, I only wish I could help you more," she murmured in her native tongue, dipping their ladle into the pot. Returning to Elizabeth's room she flung the water into the screaming woman's face.

Elizabeth jolted awake feeling the cool water drops assault her skin. "You shouldn't waste the water to wake me Sha're," she croaked, sitting up.

"I will go to the well later, Eliz'a," Sha're assured, using her pet name to comfort her. "Your dreams trapped you last night. Is there any way I may help you, sister?"

Elizabeth smiled at the name, Eliz'a sounded like (eeliz-ay) and it still tickled her ears. 'John would laugh hearing it,' her heart whispered, effectively dousing the warmth of her friend's affection with the ice of her loss. "If you were still ascended, I'd beg you to enter my dreams and make John look at me before I stepped through that damned gate as F.R.A.N. but I know you can't," she moaned.

"If I were ascended, I'd have to refuse you, Eliz'a," Sha're sighed, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Even if I could have remained on the higher planes, I could never lie in such a way. It would not truly heal your pain, beloved."

"How can you say that?" Elizabeth snapped. "How many times have you told me about the pain that you went through when Daniel looked at you and only saw Amaunet? Are you telling me that you wouldn't change your dreams if you could?"

Sha're smiled. After so many months, she'd grown used to her companion's moods when her pain grew too great. "Beloved, your mind and your heart are in conflict. Changing your dreams will not change the truth."

"I just wanted him to look at me before I stepped through," she sniffled, as more tears fell from her eyes. "My body was different, but he knew I was in there. He just refused to see me."

"The only way for you to reclaim your true self is to accept what happened, exactly as it happened, Eliz'a. Only through accepting the truth can your soul heal. Come, I will prepare our morning meal," she urged, reaching to pull Elizabeth out of bed.

"No, it's my turn this week," Elizabeth moaned. "Why did you save me, Sha're?" she whispered.

"I have told you the answer many times, my sister. Why do you keep asking?"

"Sometimes it's the only thing that keeps me from getting lost in the hell of my mind," Elizabeth sighed.

"I saved you because as my Dan'iyel taught me, 'where there is life there is hope.' The Replicators may have destroyed your body, but your essence remained. To let you float in the vastness of space—" she trailed off feeling the outrage of injustice fill her heart. "I couldn't allow such a waste of hope."

"I am grateful, even when I don't act like I am. Forgive me, Sha're," Elizabeth begged for what seemed like millionth time for the week.

"You dry my tears when I wake calling for my husband and tell me wonderful stories of the times you spent with him. There is nothing to forgive," Sha're assured as she always did. "Come now, I will hope your skills at making bread finally improve," she challenged.

"Excuse me, for thinking French class would be more useful to me than home economics in high school," Elizabeth whined, chasing after her adopted sister to their kitchen.


On Atlantis John, Cam, and Rodney, sat in the briefing room each directing a murderous glare at Woolsey. "Atlantis belongs in the Pegasus Galaxy," John growled, clenching both hands into fists. "Does the IOA truly believe that we can just hide in San Francisco Bay indefinitely?"

"I agree with you, Colonel Sheppard, but the value of having Atlantis on earth cannot be overstated by my superiors," Woolsey sighed, praying that the two Colonels would keep their weapons holstered. "I realize this makes things very difficult for Ms. Emmagan and Mr. Dex—" he began as Sheppard viciously cut him off.

"Teyla has a son back there!" John yelled. "There are thousands of worlds still under threat by the Wraith that we can't abandon, not to mention the fact that trapping Todd here will not accomplish anything good."

"It's out of my hands, John," Woolsey soothed, shocking all of them by using Sheppard's given name. "The IOA is reassigning me back to Washington. I'm no longer in command of Atlantis," he sighed, his voice choking on the words.

"Who are they replacing you with?" McKay screeched in horror at the thought of breaking in a new Commander.

"That I don't know," Woolsey admitted letting the bitterness of the situation come out through his tone. "I did submit my recommendation despite the unexpectedness of my transfer. Unfortunately, it was made very clear to me, that my opinions no longer carry much weight at the IOA."

"What the hell happened to make them want to throw you out by the scruff of your neck?" Cam blurted out, forgetting his vow of silence in the briefings beyond his security reports.

"Colonel Mitchell, believe me when I say it could be anything, but if I had to guess, I'd say that the fact the Wraith nearly attacked earth under my purview will be the official reason given," Woolsey answered, pinching the bridge of his nose to stem the coming migraine. "Bringing Todd back with us hasn't helped," he added with a slight smirk.

"They should be giving you the Nobel Prize for everything you've done to get as far as we have to end the threat of the Wraith," John snapped. "I'll kill Todd myself if he even breaths wrong, but for now he honestly wants to find a way to get his hive less dependent on humans to feeding. If we can get the serum right and Todd's hive finds a way to feed without devastating human worlds the results could drastically change the entire dynamics out there in ways I can't even imagine. How can the IOA object to that?"

"I thank you for the compliment, Colonel Sheppard, but this all started with you and Doctor Weir. Whoever takes over my position they'll just be continuing the work."

"If the IOA has its way we'll never continue that work!" Rodney shouted.

"Listen to me," John growled, leaning forward across the table. "Elizabeth gave her life in order that our mission to Atlantis could succeed. I will not accept the petty politics of the people who sit here and read files with no understanding of what we do, make her death in vain. I will not let that happen!" the undercurrent of primal rage in his voice sent chills through everyone in the room.

"Just out of curiosity," McKay muttered. "Who did you recommend to replace you?"

"I recommended Colonel Sheppard," Woolsey replied.

"OH, HELL NO!" McKay shouted!


Well, your bread is getting softer," Sha're praised, clearing their plates.

Elizabeth groaned throwing her hands in the air in frustration. "Do you think you'll ever be able to make me into a proper Abydonian woman, little sister?"

"I do not believe that I am younger than you, Eliz'a, although when I retook my human form it is the same age as I once was when Teal'c freed me from Amaunet," she smiled, at the fake jealous glare Elizabeth gave her. "In any case, I have no desire for you to become a proper Abydonian woman. You are an exceptional woman of the Tau'ri and you should be proud of what you are with the same pride I take in being Abydonian. However, I find it nearly impossible to understand how you've lived your entire life without a basic knowledge of how to prepare food. Even with all the wonders Dan'iyel told me of from earth about all the machines which provide for your needs, he assured me that you still need to prepare most of your food."

"I can use a microwave with the best of them, Sha're!" Elizabeth defended herself with a laugh.

A look of horror splashed across her face. "My Dan'iyel told me of them. I know how to operate some of the most dangerous Goa'uld technology, but I will never eat food prepared in such away. They are very dangerous. One nearly killed my Dan'iyel when he was a child."

Hearing the despair in her friend's voice at the thought of an accident her husband years before they met, made Elizabeth catch her breath. "How do you stand it?" she asked as they finished their morning chores.

"I stand the same way you do, sister," Sha're answered with a frown. Although she'd learned much over the years, her husband's first language still confused her. However, Eliz'a could not speak the language of the Ancients, or Goa'uld, and her Abydonian still needed much more practice.

"No, I mean, how do you bear staying here with me?" she asked, her voice quivering with her own emotional turmoil. "You love Daniel with a passion, a need that I've rarely seen from anyone I know. One memory of a story he told you from his childhood put tears in your eyes. I don't see how you can bear the pain. I scream for my home, my family, and John, every night, and I never even got to tell him how I felt. Sometimes I'm certain I'll walk out into a sandstorm and let it bury me. You were married—" she stopped abruptly when Sha're dropped the basket of she'd picked up to bring to the market. "I'm sorry, sister," she stammered in crude Abydonian.

Sha're used all the meditation techniques her mother had taught her during the times Amaunet slept to shield herself from the pain Eliz'a's words inadvertently caused. "No, beloved," she answered in proper Abydonian. Switching back to the accursed English of her husband she continued. "There is no need. I endure this pain you speak of because there is no other choice. I cannot go to Dan'iyel without risking the well-being of my son, something I will never do. When I helped you, I knew I would be punished by the others. I knew they would never allow me to go to my Dan'iyel easily, and I knew that I could never leave you at risk."

"Why didn't you just descend after Shifu freed you?" Elizabeth asked, finally voicing the thought that had festered in her mind since the moment Sha're brought her back.

"Because I saw too many injustices, and because I am a coward," Sha're whispered.


Teal'c, Ry'ac, Kar'yn, and Ishta arrived aboard the Hammond in varying states of anticipation and caution. "O'Neill, where are Daniel Jackson, Vala Mal Doran and Shifu?" he asked, before his friends could greet them.

"Jeeze, Teal'c, manners!" Jack chided with an impish grin. "Hey there, Ishta, Rya'c, Kar'yn. Ishta, Kar'yn, you both look radiant. There's a particular glow about you, young lady," he drawled tossing his arm around Kar'yn. "I'm gonna take a guess and say, you, and lover-boy over there have some big news of your own."

"How could you possibly know I am with child?" Kar'yn gasped, instinctively moving her hand to her abdomen.

"You've got the glow, Sweetheart!" Jack grinned, dropping a kiss on her cheek. He turned to Rya'c giving him a big hug and a hard pat on the back. "Well, I'll say this for ya, kid you work fast," he laughed. "Look, if you don't treat that girl right and by right, I mean grovel every day for the rest of your natural life, I'll set you straight."

"I will do everything possible to care for my family O'Neill," Rya'c assured.

"Good, and one more thing… If you give this kid a weapon under the human equivalent age of fifteen, I will hurt you," O'Neill guaranteed with a black tone.

Ishta's mouth dropped open in astonishment at the audacity of his threat. "General O'Neill, what gives you the right to make such a threat and interfere with Rya'c and Kar'yn's ability to raise their child according to our ways?" she snarled.

He faced her calmly and stared her down as he had so many System Lords. "The right that comes from seeing my son blow half his head off with my own weapon, Ishta. I know we have different cultures, and I know I'm not the most open-minded guy on the planet when it comes to accepting those differences, but I'm not trying to disrespect your culture this time. Teal'c is my family, that means Rya'c, Kar'yn, their little bundle of joy, and you are my family. That is my right to make such a threat. I have the right to speak to my family in whatever way I see fit."

Ishta stared back at her mate's closest Tau'ri brother. For the first time she saw completely beyond the façade of levity and child-like ways she typically associated with the Tau'ri. She saw the warrior Teal'c gave his allegiance to, and in that moment, he earned her true respect. "My condolences on the loss of your son, General," she whispered, bowing her head in respect.

"Well thanks, Ishta, but it was a long time ago," he muttered. "Hell, what's the point of having a past if you can't use it for the future?" he chuckled as his eyes locked with Sam's.

Rya'c turned to stand directly in front of O'Neill and put his hand on his shoulder. "Our child will benefit from your wisdom, O'Neill, and when the time comes for our child to begin its training, you must be one of the teachers to help shape our child's path."

"SWEET!" Jack grinned. "Ya done good, kid!"

"Colonel, forgive me for interrupting," a young Private interjected, addressing Carter.

"What is it, Tom?" Sam asked.

"We've received word from Doctor Jackson, he and Ms. Mal Doran are ready to beam aboard," Tom reported.

"Well, let's get them up here!" Jack chirped.

The young Private awkwardly glanced back and forth, between his commanding officer and a Two-Star General. Sam glared at the irreverent older man and rolled her eyes. "Beam them up, Tom. And until further notice, ignore General O'Neill. He's here in an unofficial capacity."

"Sorry, kid," Jack shrugged. "I keep forgetting that I can't do that anymore."

"Yes, sir."

Seconds later Vala and Daniel appeared of the bridge. "Hey, Muscles!" she chirped. "This must be the family we here about but never see!"

"Indeed, Vala Mal Doran."

"Hello, Ishta, Rya'c, Kar'yn, Teal'c," Daniel greeted. "I don't know if Jack told you, but Shifu is back."

"He did indeed, Daniel Jackson, but he said nothing more," Teal'c answered with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, that's because I didn't tell him everything yet. I really don't think I can get through this story twice," he sighed, shaking his head. "Sam, can we just get to Atlantis? Shifu will meet us there. I think there must be a limit to how long he can maintain his corporeal form before the genetic knowledge in his subconscious begins to press against his mental barriers."

Sam repressed her urge to wrap Daniel in a hug, seeing the dismay, hope, and grief in his eyes. "Of course, Daniel. Are you okay?"

"I will be," he assured with a faint smile.

"Teal'c, is the entire family coming?" Jack asked with a grin.

"If that is acceptable, O'Neill."

"Sure, glad for the company."

"Tom, contact Atlantis and let them know we're on our way," Sam ordered.

"Yes, ma'am, and good luck."


"Colonel Sheppard, to the control tower," Chuck paged.

"I'm here, Chuck, what do you have?" John answered, coming up behind him.

"A transmission from the Hammond, sir. They say they're ready to beam in at our say-so," the younger man replied with a grin.

John slapped him on the shoulder. "Let's not keep them waiting then, Chuck."

"Yes, sir," Chuck grinned. "Hammond this is Atlantis, you're clear to beam in whenever you're ready."

"Thank you, for your hospitality Atlantis, Hammond out."

In a flash, the rest of SG-1 and guests stood in the gate room. "Hey, Sheppard. Thanks for the welcome," Jack grinned.

"General, Colonel, Doctor Jackson, Teal'c, Vala, welcome back to Atlantis," Sheppard greeted. "I see you've brought some new friends for us."

"John," Sam greeted, reaching out to grab his hand. "Thank you for this. General, Teal'c, if I may I'd like to make the introductions."

"Of course, Colonel Carter," Teal'c answered, bowing his head.

"Sure, Carter."

"John, this is Ishta of the Hak'tyl, Teal' Rya'c, and Kar'yn—"

"Carter, their baby makes four," Jack interjected.

"Sir, that's not my news to give!" Sam exclaimed in horror, blushing in mortification.

John reached out to shake hands with the new guests. "Congratulations, Rya'c and Kar'yn! It's a pleasure to meet you, Ishta. Welcome to Atlantis. If there's anything you want or need, let me know." John smiled.

"It is an honor to be here," Ishta answered, while Rya'c and Kar'yn bowed.

"So, I'll call Cam, Teyla, Rodney, and Ronan, then we can get the show on the road. I've been dying to get back into some form of action," he chirped, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"Not liking being here on earth, Sheppard?" O'Neill teased.

John straightened up just shy of coming to attention. "Just a little cabin fever, sir," he answered.

Jack raised his eyebrows but didn't comment on the young man's abrupt change in demeanor. "Call your people, Sheppard, but we're waiting for one more friend to join us."

"Yes, sir. Who sir?"

"That's easier for you to see than it is to explain, Colonel," Daniel answered.

"Call me John, Doctor Jackson. I'll just gather everyone in the conference room with your permission, General."

"Sure. That's great. Well, Daniel, did our surprise say when he'll meet us here?" Jack asked, as he led the group to the conference room.

"No, but it'll be soon."

"General! Sam, Vala, Daniel, Teal'c, and do my eyes deceive me or is that Rya'c, and the lovely Ishta and Kar'yn?" Cam drawled, strolling into the corridor.

"Cam!" Vala squealed, rushing to hug him. "Did you find me any presents? I missed you, but I can't blame you for wanting to stay here rather than the SGC. It's much prettier," she grinned.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I missed you too, Vala," he laughed. "Rya'c, Ishta, Kar'yn, it's great to see y'all again! Is this the surprise you mentioned, Sam?"

"No, actually. Daniel can explain it much better," she answered.

Daniel rolled his eyes at Sam's less than subtle glare at him. He understood everyone needed answers, but he didn't have the emotional strength to repeat the story again. As usual, stress made him speak as fast as he possibly could. "If Shifu isn't here in ten minutes I'll tell you all everything Shifu told me and Vala when he came to the SGC."

"Hey!" Jack snapped. "He's already told you everything? You lied to me!"

"No, I didn't, Jack. I told you that Shifu needed to meet us in Atlantis to tell us how we could help him," Daniel sighed, running his fingers through his hair.

"General, forgive me, but making Daniel repeat or listen to this this story more than twice will drive him as you Tau'ri so charmingly put it, 'off the deep end.' I've already borne the brunt of it once today do we really need him to go crazy again?" Vala pleaded.

"No, Vala, we don't," Daniel groaned. He stepped back and looked up. "Shifu, I understand this has been a rough day for you and me but come when you can."

"Shifu, your wife's son fathered by the host of Apophos?" Cam gasped. "Cool!" The blood drained from his face as he realized how it sounded. "Daniel, I didn't mean it's cool—"

"Meeting my stepson is cool, not the way he was born, I know, Cam!" Daniel growled.

"You see what I mean, he's been like this all day!" Vala exclaimed.

"Hell, Vala, if I were him I would've shot me for that remark," Cam shrugged.

"Doctor Jackson, please don't get blood all over my clean floors," John called out. "Cam, what stupid, dumbass thing did you say that put your life in peril now?"

"Nothing, it was nothing, John and call me Daniel please. Doctor Jackson was my father," he assured as everyone quickly took their seats.

John gave the archeologist a brief nod and made the introductions for his team; tactfully omitting the information about Kar'yn's pregnancy. "Now that we've all met, I hope we can know just what's going on A bright flash of light filled the room. Shifu took his corporeal form and the other faded away. "Forgive my delay, Grandmother insisted on giving me many teachings," the boy sighed, making it clear that he hadn't been eager for these particular 'teachings'.

"Hey, Shifu," Jack grinned. "You look different?"

"When we first met, I didn't want to hurt Daniel further by revealing my true corporeal form. It's good to see you again, O'Neill."

"So, what's up?" the older man asked.

"Colonel Sheppard," Shifu began, bowing his head. "I am Shifu. As you're no doubt aware, I am an ascended. I've come here to Atlantis to not only ask for aid, but to help you recover someone you believe to be lost to you forever."

"We've never met an Ancient child before," John replied, keeping his confusion tightly controlled.

"John, Shifu isn't an Ancient. At least not fully," Daniel began to explain. "I know my story has become legend to anyone even remotely connected to the SGC—"

"Don't be modest, Doc," John smirked, "You started the whole she-bang!"

A pained grimace stretched Daniel's lips. "It's also pretty common knowledge that my wife was taken as a host. Shifu is her son, and his grandmother helped him ascend to protect him from the Goa'uld."

"Then your grandmother must be an ancient!" McKay exclaimed.

"She is, Doctor McKay, but she is not a Lantean," Shifu answered, forestalling the eager scientist's next question.

"Excuse me, but you said you needed our help, and that you have come to assist us," Teyla broke in. Her soft and musical voice soothing the frayed nerves of her friend.

"A journey's end requires a first step," Shifu answered, smiling brightly at the beautiful woman.

"Okay, stop flirting, kid, and tell the story," Jack chided with a grin.

Shifu took a calming breath to center himself and spoke. "Fifteen years ago, my grandmother helped my mother ascend when Teal'c freed her from Amaunet. Now, the others have forced her to retake her human form after we helped save Elizabeth Weir, and used the technology in an abandoned Ancient outpost to return her mind to a body we created from her original genetic material before she was infected with the nanites."

"WHAT THE HELL!" Sheppard roared.

"COLONEL, STAND DOWN!" Jack ordered.

"Wait, John, hear the boy out!" Rodney begged.

"How the hell did you get Elizabeth's unaltered DNA?" John demanded clenching his fists.

"John, please calm yourself," Teyla soothed, taking one of his hands in hers.

"Forgive me, Colonel Sheppard. I should have told you in a better way. Every person who has been in the infirmary has been scanned into the medical database. Inside that database is a three-dimensional model of each person's genetic code. That, along with a cell from the sample Elizabeth gave for her medical records and for use in Doctor Beckett's Ancient gene therapy, we were able to recreate her human body."

"Hey, hey, hey, just a minute. Are you saying you broke in and stole Elizabeth's sample? THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE!" McKay scoffed.

"Why?" Sam smirked. "Atlantis was designed and built by the Ancients. If Shifu's grandmother is an Ancient and Sha're ascended, then they should have all the abilities to access anything they chose."

"Because even if they could get in and do what they wanted they'd still leave a trace!" Rodney snapped. "Atlantis' sensors even pick up the energy signatures of ascended beings."

John touched his earpiece to activate his communicator, leaning back in his chair and closing his eyes. 'Protocol be damned!' he thought, willing himself to control his anger. "Keller, this is Sheppard. Will you please access the medical database and check for Elizabeth's original DNA sample from when we first came to Atlantis?"

"Of course, Colonel," the young doctor replied, her confusion clear even through the communication system.

"Thanks, report to the conference room when you're done. Sheppard out!" He sighed and glared at the boy who had turned his universe upside-down. "Okay, you and Mrs. Jackson broke into my city, stole my friend's DNA, and now you tell me that your mother somehow brought her back to life. Leaving aside the stealing, the invasion, and the fact that you had no right to do any of this without telling us, I just have one question… why?"

"Because, to do nothing is to partake in wrongdoing, Colonel," the boy answered with a severity of a full-grown man, making the Atlantis team shiver.

Jennifer Keller stepped into the briefing room and paused to cover her surprise. She'd heard about General O'Neill's coming through the grapevine, but nothing had mentioned a Jaffa family and a young boy she'd never seen, and it certainly hadn't mentioned the rest of the original SG-1. She'd been on Atlantis long enough to figure out that all of this, and Colonel Sheppard's request to check for Doctor Weir's original DNA sample couldn't be coincidence. Shaking herself out of her musings she straightened and turned her attention to her Commanding Officer. "Colonel, I checked the database for Doctor Weir's original DNA sample as you requested, it's still there."

"Was it altered?" Rodney asked.

She frowned noting that he seemed unusually calm. "Not that I could determine," she answered still directing her attention to Sheppard.

"We only needed one cell," the boy spoke with an eerie serenity. "Not even the scanners of the Ancients would be able to see it."

"Excuse me!" Jennifer squeaked, now staring at the boy through wide, frightened eyes. "Colonel, I assure you I would know if the infirmary was compromised!" she stammered.

"Relax, Doc, apparently ascended humans can mess with our girl's scanners if they want," Sheppard grimaced.

Shifu frowned. "We made sure not to encounter any of your people, Colonel. I'm not sure what 'girl' you refer to."

"Jack, switch seats with me," Daniel demanded, shooting to his feet.

"Daniel, use your words," Jack teased, as he complied with the request.

"Jack, will you please switch seats with me?" Daniel answered, lacing his words with overly-sweet sarcasm. Now taking the seat beside Shifu, Daniel laid a hand on his shoulder. "We sometimes refer to ships, cities, and other things as 'she.' I've never really understood just why it's mostly related to the feminine, but it's a typical Tau'ri quirk."

The boy offered his stepfather a faint smile. "I see."

"But what could this boy possibly have done to fool our sensors?" McKay exclaimed, stopping just short of whining. "We know the sensors can read the energy signatures of ascended beings. This shouldn't have happened."

"But it already has at least once!" Vala piped up, excited to be able to join the conversation at last.

"How's that, Princess?" Cam asked.

A beaming child-like smile lit up her features with boundless enthusiasm. "When SG-1 first came here looking for Merlin's weapon, Morgan La Faye snuck past your sensors and pretended to be a hologram. I thought then that it was an incredible trick. Obviously, she must have told Shifu and Sha're how to do it too. I mean, she helped build this city."

"Vala's right," Daniel confirmed, giving her a grin as she bounced in her seat.

"I still want to know why," John interjected.

"Because it was the right thing to do," Shifu repeated.

"Then why didn't you come to us? Just tell us, 'hey we know how to help your friend.'" John exclaimed. "What gives you the right to steal from us and play God?" he growled as his anger grew too hot to suppress. "What gives you the right to make her wake up alone with strangers while hiding her farther away from us?"

"Colonel," Jack cut in, wearing his 'boss' tone. "Those are perfectly valid questions. Believe me, the first time Shifu helped us, his methods left a lot to be desired in my book too. However, one thing I do know, whatever he and Sha're did, they did it this way because they didn't have other options. Keep in mind that you're not dealing with an enemy."

"Yes, sir." John replied automatically, making the honorific sound like a curse.

Jack shot Daniel a look that said, 'hey I tried,' and shrugged. Daniel nodded his head in thanks and took over. "John, the rules of the Ascended are complex and extraordinarily difficult to maneuver—"

"Oh, he knows that!" McKay interrupted. "In fact, he knows more about the peculiar habits of ascended beings then he likes to admit—"

"Rodney, do you want me to shoot you?" Sheppard cut him off with a dangerous glare at the babbling scientist.

"No," McKay pouted.

"Then stop talking now," he warned through clenched teeth. Turning his attention back to the boy he swallowed the curses stuck in his throat. "Where is she?"

The boy waved his hand activating the holographic interface. The image of a barren desert world dotted with small oases appeared. "This planet is at the very edge of the Pegasus Galaxy, only a few thousand light years away from the abandoned Ancient outpost in the next galaxy where mother worked to save Doctor Weir."

"You brought F.R.A.N. to another galaxy?" Rodney squeaked.

"The Galaxy has been entirely uninhabited for millennia. We didn't want to risk the Replicators gaining a stronghold if the homing signal in the false body activated before mother could download Elizabeth's consciousness into the empty repository," Shifu explained.

"Colonel, may I ask a question?" Jennifer gasped, trying to understand what she heard.

John's head turned quickly to face the young woman, leading her to believe he'd forgotten her presence. "Go ahead, Doc."

She turned so that she now faced the strange boy (whom she assumed was an Ancient) instead of her Commanding Officer. "I'm just trying to catch up here. From what I understand, you and your mother, whoever she may be, broke into Atlantis, stole a cell from Doctor Weir's original DNA sample, and somehow using Ancient technology in another galaxy downloaded her consciousness into a computer and recreated her original human body. Then you must have somehow downloaded her consciousness into her brain again. Am I correct?"

"You are doctor," Shifu confirmed.

Jennifer swallowed the giant lump that lodged itself in her throat and continued. "I've studied various methods of cloning from different species the SGC has encountered over the years, but I can't see how you managed to create a new body from a single cell."

"That's because we didn't clone Doctor Weir, Doctor Keller. Cloning would mean developing a fetus, an independent life on its own. Such a course is highly unethical."

"The Asgard can do it," Jack grimaced.

"Loki was a highly unethical Asgard," Shifu retorted. The differences in human physiology still make it necessary to develop a fetus when cloning. Our method is different."

"Then explain it," John snapped, rubbing his temples.

"You've already seen it, Colonel. When Elizabeth attempted ascension in her previous human/replicator form she downloaded her consciousness into Atlantis' computer system. From there she created another replicator form. Mother used the same technology and principles using Elizabeth's unaltered human DNA from the cell we took."

McKay's head whipped to look at John so fast he felt the muscles in his neck snap. "They used the cell to break down the basic building blocks to each part of the body and put it together like a jig-saw puzzle! When we had that original plan, we didn't need DNA samples, the whole thing was done by nanites."

"The outpost my mother and I used was originally designed by the others to study the replicators. It already had the technology the Replicators that came here had to build before creating human bodies. By using Elizabeth's own genetic material, we didn't reed nanites. Ensuring that she would always be entirely safe," Shifu explained.

"Oh my God," Sam whispered.

"Are such things possible," Ishta gasped in terror.

A chilly silence filled the room as John's eyes scanned the faces around him. Ronan and Teyla sat quiet and still. Ronan had his battle-ready posture on full standby eying the boy as a blatant threat. He'd never been awed by the legends of 'the ancestors' and had no regard for ascended beings at all. John saw hope and awe in Teyla's eyes mixed with a heavy dose of fear at the idea of such technology. Rodney's wheels were spinning at warp speed as his brain started to contemplate how a machine could create a human body. Keller looked pale and he wondered if the young woman had finally encountered something that would overcome her willpower not to faint. As his eyes landed on SG-1 he felt a flash of resentment. As much as he respected every one of them, Elizabeth belonged to Atlantis not to them.

He locked eyes with General O'Neill, mentally cursing the fact that the older man had one of the best poker-faces he'd ever seen. Sam seemed torn in two, the scientist in her obviously captivated, while the rest of her recoiled. Mixed with the dichotomy he saw deep concern and worry, created by the compassion he knew first hand as her Second-in-Command. Cam still had that, 'how much crazier can things get?' expression. Ordinarily it would have made John laugh to see it, but now it just irritated him. Teal'c had a better poker face than O'Neill, but his family's expressions ranged from completely clueless, to 'I want to go home.' Well, he couldn't blame them for that, he wouldn't mind waking up to find the last five years had been a long dream. Even with the good things that happened. The poor Jaffa probably thought this would be a family vacation and then got stuck in an incomprehensible situation. Vala Mal Doran appeared docile, something he'd never thought possible during the brief time she'd first come to Atlantis. Her eyes met his, and he got the creepy feeling that she sensed all the chaotic emotions swirling in his heart. He didn't like that at all.

When his eyes finally came to Doctor Jackson his heart skipped five beats. The man who had opened the Stargate unleashing consequences in three galaxies stared at him with eyes that seemed to peel back the layers of his soul like an onion. For a moment he wondered if the good doctor had telepathic abilities. Given his reputation and SG-1's record, he wouldn't be surprised. He felt as if he could hear the man's gentle voice saying, 'I understand. I've lived through what you're going through.'

Looking at the kid gave him a twinge of guilt. He didn't consider himself the type of guy who treated kids badly, and yet he'd treated this one like an enemy as General O'Neill said. Objectively, he knew that Shifu, and Sha're Jackson couldn't have possibly meant any harm, but he still felt violated. This was his city, this was the woman who'd dragged him out of Antarctica, giving his life direction and purpose. Without her, he would have never found his Atlantis family or reconciled with his earth one. She'd literally given him a new life, and it galled him that strangers did what he could not. Strangers had saved her life. "So how do we get them back, Shifu?"

"The planet has a stargate in orbit, if you gate in with a puddle-jumper you can land and collect them," Shifu answered.

"Ummm, no we can't," Rodney stammered. "We don't have enough power, and we haven't been able to find any Zed—"

Shifu waved his hand and fifteen fully charged Zero Point Modules appeared on the table. "There are three for Atlantis, plus backups and enough to power the outpost in Antarctica. In time I believe you can make a new chair to defend earth."

"Holy shitake mushrooms!" McKay exclaimed, drooling at the sight. "How did you get these?"

"I had to do something while mother helped Elizabeth. It took a very long time, and I wanted to do something tangible for the Tau'ri," Shifu answered.

"So, you made them at the same outpost where Sha're healed Doctor Weir," Daniel guessed, winking at the boy.

"Yes. Is this acceptable, Colonel Sheppard?" Shifu asked, a hint of hope colored his voice as he smiled at the stunned older man.

"Thanks, kid," Sheppard nodded. "General, I assume you're here because you've already gotten approval for anything Shifu wanted from us."

"Yeah-sure-you-bet-chya!" Jack grinned. "Since you know the Pegasus galaxy better than us, Colonel, we'll be happy to let you take the lead in the S&R, but don't forget one thing. Elizabeth is our friend as well, and Sha're is our family. We're not here to step on any toes, this is a joint venture."

"Yes, sir," John affirmed, feeling a little better that the General seemed to understand his feelings. "McKay, how long to hook up the ZPM's and get our city up and running at full power?"

"An hour, maybe two, for the last five years we've been stuck jerry-rigging earth power sources to run our systems. We've got to clear all the crap and switch over," McKay replied, half grumbling, half overjoyed.

Jack turned to give Sam an angelic smile. "Carter, do you think you could help the man out?" he asked, smothering his laughter at the dirty look she shot him.

"That would be up to Colonel Sheppard, sir," she answered, rolling her eyes.

"Sam, if you're willing, I'll be grateful for all the help we can get. I have to brief Lorne, and then we can nail down a plan if that's okay with you, General?"

"Sure," Jack grinned. He rose from his seat and stretched. "Well, kids, it looks like two families are about to be made whole again. I call this a damn fine mission."

"Indeed," Teal'c agreed, bowing his head in the boy's direction.