Elizabeth stood watching the Jumper come through the Gate, her heart heavier than ever it had been since her arrival in the Pegasus Galaxy. They hadn't made any general announcement, yet. But the Atlantis Grapevine was working as efficiently as ever, and there were numerous small groups standing round the control room area, waiting for their fallen colleagues to be brought home.
Elizabeth had made sure that the people closest to Rodney and Carson were told. In fact, she had done the task herself. She felt she owed that to Rodney and Carson. Radek had told the other scientists and Jeff Stanton had told the medical staff.
As John led the others out of the Jumper, he looked up to meet Elizabeth's gaze. He nodded, but the usual smile was absent. She moved down to meet the group. She couldn't force herself to look at the two covered stretchers; her memories of Carson and Rodney were too vibrant to be dulled by the lifeless bodies. They had been the heart and brains of Atlantis. She wondered how the community would survive without them. She wondered how she would survive without them.
Dr Biro appeared so she could escort the bodies to her morgue. Although she was her usual professional self, Elizabeth could see the strain around the other woman's eyes. She had dealt with the death of colleagues before, but she was close to Carson, and that must make her difficult job even more stressful.
"I'll get the results back to you as soon as I can," Biro said to Elizabeth and John. They nodded their agreement and just stood, watching the progress of the small, sad group, as the stretchers were carried carefully out of view.
"What about Cadman?" John asked.
"I've contacted her," Elizabeth confirmed. "She is still on the Daedalus, and they're returning here. Colonel Caldwell thought he might be able to help in the investigation."
"He would," John retorted, the stress of the last few hours showing in his response.
"He thought it might take the strain off of us, John," Elizabeth said. "We have lost two very important people, and he realises that it is going to affect us."
"How is Laura?" Teyla asked, her concern shining in her tearful eyes.
"As well as you'd expect," Elizabeth replied.
The returned group lingered in the control room. By rights, they should be heading to the Infirmary to be checked over, but none of them really wanted to go there. The place was steeped in memories of Carson and also Rodney, who had spent a great deal of time there.
"Under the circumstances, I think we could forego the medical checks," Elizabeth said.
"No," Ronon said, abruptly. "Beckett said they're important. We should stand by that."
The others nodded their agreement, and, eventually, Elizabeth nodded too.
"I'll see you later for a de-briefing," she said, as they turned to leave. John nodded, then followed the others out.
oOoOoOo
Shela crept through the undergrowth. No-one had noticed her when she followed the people here. She wanted to know what had happened to Dr Carson. He'd been kind to her, made her feel better. And she wanted to see if she could make him feel better too.
She had huddled in the undergrowth, crying, as they found the bodies. Although she was young, she lived in harsh world, where death was an everyday occurrence. But she still felt sad. Her Ma had said, that when she felt sad, she should do something nice, and that would make her feel better.
With that thought in mind, Shela ran into the forest. She knew that Dr Carson liked flowers, and when someone died, they usually put flowers on their burial mounds. Maybe Dr Carson would like that too.
As she went deeper into the forest, to the place where the prettiest flowers grew, she started to feel a little bit afraid. She'd never been this deep into the forest by herself. She'd always had a hand to hold and a bigger body to shelter behind.
But she wanted to do this nice thing for Dr Carson, and if that meant being brave, she would be brave. With this thought in mind, she headed to her flower place.
She had almost reached the glade when she heard the voices. It didn't sound like any of the men who lived here. As she peered through the bushes, she realised they didn't look like any of the men she had seen before. They looked scary; they were even a different colour from 'her' men.
Now really frightened, she forgot about the flowers for Dr Carson. She needed her Ma, and she needed her now.
Taking to her heals, Shela ran through the forest, at a speed that would even give Ronon a run for his money. She didn't stop until she was safely in her Ma's arms, and was being soothed by her kisses.
oOoOoOo
His blue eyes took in his surroundings. His head was clearer now, and the pounding in his head had subsided to just half a percussion section. His leg was still agony, and he let out an involuntary moan as he tried to move it.
Rodney was at his side in an instant.
"What is it?" he asked, his voice slightly panicky.
"Nothing for you to worry about, Rodney," Carson replied, trying to sooth his friend. "My leg just objected to me trying to move it."
"It's not going to go all septic on me, is it?" Rodney asked, looking at the leg with distaste.
"No, Rodney," Carson assured him. "It's broken, and if it's not set, I might end up with a limp, but I'm not about to develop gangrene."
"Are you sure?" Rodney asked, not sure if he should be relieved.
"I am a doctor, Rodney," Carson reminded him, his lips quirking with amusement.
"I know, but then you keep telling me that doctors don't know everything."
"And I don't," Carson agreed. "But I do know about broken legs, and from personal experience too."
"You've broken your leg before?" Rodney asked, diverted for a moment, just as Carson intended.
"Aye," Carson replied. "Playing football. The real kind of football, not that American rubbish."
"I didn't think it was that dangerous," Rodney said, curious now.
"It can be," Carson assured him. "I happened to be unlucky enough to be marking this muckle beast of a man. He didn't like it when I tackled him and took the ball off him. So he returned the compliment and nearly took the leg off me."
Carson chuckled at the memory. But the chuckle died in his throat as the door opened again. Standing there, silhouetted against the light, was his nemesis. His one-time patient, now his most avid foe, Michael.
"I see you're making yourselves at home," the Wraith said, his smile revealing his vicious teeth, but devoid completely of humour.
"Oh yes," Rodney said, positioning himself between Michael and Carson again. "This is just like home – hard bed, cold running water, down the walls, at least, and the food is terrible. As for the host . ."
Michael took a step towards the scientist, a snarl on his face.
"And just what do you want with us?" Carson asked, intervening before things could get ugly.
"As yes," Michael replied. "I didn't tell you my plans, did I?"
"No, you didn't," Carson replied, forcing himself to meet the Wraith's gaze with a steady one of his own.
"Well, you see, Dr Beckett," Michael replied. "You left us with a problem. Your little experiment has caused us on-going side-effects."
"What's wrong, Michael?" Rodney asked, almost sneering. "Does nobody love you?" As soon as he said it, Rodney took a step back, realising that, yet again, his wayward tongue could get him into serious trouble.
"And you would know how that feels, Dr McKay," Michael responded, with a sneer of his own. "But back to your question, Dr Beckett," Michael said, turning back to the Scot. "All those injections you forced on us, they have altered us forever. We are no longer true Wraith."
"D'you mean the other Wraith won't accept you?" Carson asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.
"No, Doctor," Michael responded. "It is more basic than that. You have changed us on a more fundamental level. Our DNA is no longer that of a Wraith. We are more human than Wraith now."
"Even without the injections?" Carson asked.
"Yes, Doctor," Michael replied. "And that is why we have brought you here. We want you to reverse the process, to turn us back into Wraith, proper Wraith."
"I'm not sure if I can do that, lad," Carson replied, a frown now on his face. "If suppressing your Wraith characteristics has caused long-term side effects, then trying to suppress your human element could result in a catastrophic breakdown in your DNA. There's no telling what could happen."
"And we are willing to take that risk," Michael said, almost aggressively.
"What if I won't do it?" Carson asked. "What if I can't?"
"That's where Dr McKay comes in," Michael said, his gaze sliding to Rodney in a very unnerving manner.
"What have I got to do with it?" Rodney asked, panic in his voice. "I'm no good at all this voodoo stuff. Just ask Carson."
"That might be true," Michael agreed. "But I know from experience that Dr Beckett can be stubborn. But I want to see just how stubborn he will be when he sees his friend in pain, in agony, aging before his eyes. That is why you are here, Dr McKay."