Author's Notes - sorry for the odd formatting - ff seems to be having issues... so I made my own scene breaks... :P - Nika
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-.-
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Teyla found John on one of the secluded balconies, the moon hanging low in the sky, bathing the entire city in its soft glow. The night was clear and crisp, the air scented with the tang of salt water.
He stood in the corner, his arms resting on the railing, his shoulders hunched. She slipped through the doors and settled in beside him, mimicking his pose.
"Carson and Rodney have returned to the lab."
John nodded. "If there's anything to be found, those two will find it."
"I was going to take them something to eat." She glanced sideways at the Colonel. "Rodney keeps… forgetting." She frowned. "He is taking this… hard."
John turned his shoulders towards her, leaning more of his weight on his right arm. "He's worried. He cares a lot about her."
Teyla angled her head. "Yes. He does. More than… some."
John shrugged.
"But not more than others." Teyla finished cryptically.
John sighed. "So you know, huh."
It was Teyla's turn to shrug. "It is not difficult to see."
"For someone who's more observant than most." John finished with a slight grin.
Teyla shook her head and turned around, leaning her back against the railing and crossing her arms around her torso. "But Ronon and Rodney?"
John sighed and turned, matching her stance. "She's a beautiful woman. Smart. Funny. What's not to like?"
Teyla arched her eyebrow.
John shook his head and with a heavy sigh, tipped his head back and stared up the edge of the building. He turned back around, and resumed his initial propped up position against the railing.
"Ronon has not gone to see her." Teyla turned slightly, angling her hip against the railing.
John nodded. "I know."
"What do we do?" Teyla asked softly.
John snorted, his expression incredulous. "You're asking me for help on someone's love life?"
Teyla started to grin. "You do not wish to give such advice?"
"Romance advice?" He snorted. "You're kidding right? Don't you have any questions about airplanes? Flying ships? Or how about weapons? Guns. Now there's something I can give you advice on. Give me something to shoot and I'm there."
"You sound like Ronon." Teyla laughed.
"Man's got a point." John conceded.
Teyla rubbed her forehead, then turned around to look out across the lights of the city. "It will not be easy." She said softly.
"Nope." John agreed. "Probably even be some fallout."
"Yet they are all our friends."
"And that's going to be the hard part."
They stood in silence, the brightness of the city lights taunting them over the turmoil within.
John broke first, straightening, and jamming his hands into his pockets. "So. You said something about food?"
Teyla smiled and stepped away from the railing. "I did."
"Lead on, Macduff." John angled his head.
Teyla snorted and shook her head as she moved towards the doors.
"I know, I know." John followed. "You people are weird."
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-.-
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"It isn't working." Carson shook his head, staring at the results of Jennifer's latest blood tests.
"How can it not be working?!" Rodney exclaimed, rubbing the back of his neck while he craned to read over Carson's shoulder.
Carson shook his head. "It's been twelve hours. We should have seen some improvement by now."
"Obviously you've missed something." Rodney sighed.
"I've been through it a dozen times."
"Then try it again." Rodney said stubbornly, staring at a second video monitor and the live feed of Jennifer's head and shoulders, her motionless body angled across the screen. "There has to be something you're not seeing."
Carson ground the heels of his hands against his eyes, then stared at the video of the blood sample playing on the screen in front of them. "Aye, Rodney. But I don't know what I could possibly have missed. Everything says it should be working. The anti-virus is neutralizing the virus." He pointed to the screen. "You can see it yourself."
"Then what is that?" Rodney pointed to the sudden churning that appeared on the first screen.
"That," Carson acknowledged. "Is the virus."
"So why does it keep coming back?"
"I don't know, Rodney." Carson shook his head, exasperated, his eyes on Jennifer's image. "For every dose we give her, it neutralizes the threat. Her blood work is normal. Healthy. Then, exactly thirty eight minutes later…" He pointed to the screen and the infected sample that now swarmed in front of their faces.
"Why thirty eight minutes?" Rodney frowned, stifling a yawn as he rubbed his eyes.
"Gestation period." Carson shrugged, glancing down at his notes. "Thirty eight minutes and fifty two seconds."
"So why doesn't she wake up?" Rodney stared at Jennifer's image, his voice dropping to almost a whisper.
"I'm sorry?" Carson frowned.
"Wake up." Rodney pointed to Jen's picture, his voice louder. "Why doesn't she wake up? You said she's cured… for thirty eight minutes. We've done this… what… six times already? And each time she hasn't moved."
"Rodney… say that again." Carson's eyes narrowed as he stared hard into the screen reflecting Jennifer's sleeping body.
"What?" Rodney leaned forward.
"She isn't awake."
"No." Rodney frowned, drawing out the word.
"She's not… waking up." Carson turned towards Rodney, his voice trailing off as he lost himself in his thoughts.
"No." Rodney repeated, his eyes scanning Carson's face. "What… What is it?"
Carson stood up and walked quickly to a terminal on the other side of the lab.
"Carson!" Rodney followed immediately behind. "What? What is it?!"
"Sleeping…" Carson muttered, clamping McKay on the shoulder, then dropping hand quickly to the computer. "Aye, Rodney, you're a genius."
"Well, I know th-" Rodney started, then shook his head. "What about sleeping? Why she's sleeping? She's sleeping because she's… tired? Give me a clue… a hint?" He wriggled his ear. "Sounds like?"
"Rodney, hush!" Carson ordered, frantically alternating his eyes between the screen, and his fingers, which were madly typing on the keyboard. "I'm trying to think."
"Well think faster!" Rodney exclaimed, staring over the Doctor's shoulder.
Carson slowly turned his head to glare at Rodney.
"What?!" The scientist frowned, but stepped back.
Carson returned to the screen, paging quickly through data.
"Ah." He muttered.
"Ah?" Rodney repeated, stepping forward again to stare over Carson's shoulder.
"There." Carson slapped his palm on the countertop. "I should have seen it. Right in front of me the whole time, Rodney."
"What was?"
"Sleeping!" Carson said the word like a curse, then he turned and walked away, nearly slamming into Teyla and John, who'd rounded the corner, each carrying a cafeteria tray laden with food.
"Sorry, Colonel." Carson exclaimed hurriedly. "Can't stop. Need to find a volunteer."
John and Teyla stepped aside as Carson rushed past.
The Doctor stopped abruptly to turn around and glare at Rodney. "Well, are you coming?"
Rodney spun away from the newcomers with a "What? Yes, yes! Of course!"
Teyla and John shared a glance then quickly dropped the trays onto the nearest smooth surface and rushed out after them.
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-.-
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"You want to put someone to sleep." John repeated, glancing quickly at Teyla before turning back to Carson.
"Basically, yes." Carson nodded, moving quickly around the back corner of the infirmary. He turned and filled an auto-injector. "They didn't call this little bugger the night-death for nothing."
John raised his eyebrows. "I thought you had a cure."
"We do." Rodney nodded. "But it's not working. Not while she's still asleep."
"I don't get it." John frowned. "She needs to be awake for it to work?"
Carson turned, and wriggled the injector as he accented his words. "Yes. Delta waves."
"Delta waves?" Teyla repeated Carson's words slowly.
"Aye, Teyla. Delta waves. The human brain is, by all that matters, a giant computer. It can generate a physically readable energy… electrochemical power. Oh don't worry…" He said quickly, when Teyla's eyes widened. "It's not enough to power anything."
"Well if you hooked enough people together-" Rodney started, then clamped his mouth shut when Carson glared. "Right." Rodney muttered, waving his hand. "Go on…"
"As I was saying…" Carson continued, glancing at the auto-injector in his hand. "There was a brief mention in the Ancient database – quite hidden I might add…"
"I found it." Rodney nodded quickly.
"Our little friend here feeds off delta waves…" Carson continued, ignoring Rodney. "Delta waves are the electrochemical output of our minds when we are deeply sleeping. Both Major Lorne and Lieutenant Williams were fully awake when they contracted the virus, and fully awake when they returned. Their minds were highly active with beta waves. With a little help from a strong dose of antibiotics, they were able to quickly defeat the virus. But, Dr. Keller had the unfortunate luck of being ill, and already asleep. Her mind is active only to the level of delta waves. Even with our vaccine, the virus will not remain dormant long enough to be destroyed."
"We need delta waves." Rodney added. "An active mind."
"So wake her up." John looked at the Doctor.
Carson angled his head. "Aye. It's an option, however..." he sighed softly. "The lass is very ill. I worry about the strain this would cause on her already weakened system to have us shocking her awake. The human heart is strong, but…"
"You want to be sure." Teyla filled in.
The doctor nodded. "To be on the safe side, I like to run a few tests first."
"You want a guinea pig." John nodded knowingly, his eyes moving to the injector in Carson's hand.
"Aye, Colonel. I need a volunteer… from Earth," he looked at Teyla who was about to open her mouth. "To contract a mild, but fast acting strain so we can see how it interacts when the patient is both states of consciousness as we apply the vaccination. Once we've confirmed our theory, then we can go about waking up our Sleeping Beauty."
"Right." John straightened. "Where to do you want me?"
Carson turned towards him.
"Don't argue, Doc." John shook his head, then glared at Rodney when the scientist stepped forward, his mouth open and his index finger raised. "You either."
"John…" Teyla started, earning her a glare as well.
She sighed, and stepped back.
"Very well Colonel." Carson sighed, patting the gurney to his left. "Up ya' go then."
John hopped up onto the gurney, and settled himself against the pillow.
"Right then." Carson stepped forward, pressing the injector to John's neck. "This shouldn't hurt."
"Yeah." John muttered, wincing with the influx of the virus. "Famous last words, Doc."