Sorry this took so long. RL has been a nasty distraction. Thank you to everyone for the fabulous reviews. :D
John came back to awareness in stages. He felt a throbbing ache in his temples and various other aches throughout his body. He felt heavy and lethargic and his mind was adrift with images that faded in and out. But he knew where he was. He recognized the smell of the infirmary. Peeling his eyes open, John blinked hard and brought a familiar form into focus. Elizabeth. He tried to swallow the dryness from his mouth so that he could call out to her, but all he managed was a croak that made him cough.
Elizabeth heard him and was by his side in an instant. "Easy, John. Here, take a sip of water." Once his coughing eased for a moment, she held the straw to his lips.
He took a few sips and the tickling feeling eased. Another sip and he was pretty sure he could talk again. "Thanks," he whispered. It came out a bit hoarse, but it was doable.
"How do you feel?" Elizabeth's eyes were dark with worry as she asked.
"Been better," John allowed. "The others?"
A frown crossed her face before Elizabeth could erase it. "Not so good. Dr. Beckett is still holding on to moments of lucidity, but it's difficult. Teyla and Ronon have become...animalistic. No one can get near them to even try and examine them or anything."
John wasn't thrilled to hear that. "How long have I been out of it?" As he asked he tried to sit up and that was when he realized he was in restraints. "Did I hurt anyone?" He was horrified at the thought.
"Only yourself," Elizabeth assured him. She reached for one hand and brushed her fingertips lightly over the bandages that were wrapped around his wrists. "You fought so hard against the restraints at times that you were bleeding heavily."
"I was...dreaming." John remembered now and it scared the hell out of him. He must have been acting out during the dreams. Tugging on the restraints he met her gaze. "Can you take them off now?"
Elizabeth winced then shook her head. "I'd rather not just yet. You certainly seem fully lucid now, John…but it's been scary."
He understood. "Okay…um…I remember Rodney being here. Right?"
"Yes…he's been in and out."
"He told me you and Dr. Zelenka figured something out about the ruins. Is that true?" John certainly hoped that it was, because he had figured out a few things as well. Although not so much figured them out as he had been shown what he was dealing with. The dreams had been much more than just reflections of his subconscious mind. In many ways they had been a tutorial. A guide of sorts.
Expression brightening a bit, Elizabeth dragged over a chair and sat down. "We went through the Ancient archives that we have been able to bring up and we found the planet and identified the ruins. But, you're not going to like what we found."
John wasn't surprised to hear that. "Tell me anyway," he whispered.
"Okay." Elizabeth cleared her throat then began. "From what we can tell, the ruins were intended to be a mental facility."
"What?" That shook John up, even as he realized the truth of it from what he had experienced and from his dreams.
Elizabeth eyed him with concern. "Maybe we should talk later."
John forced himself to relax, realizing he was pulling at the restraints. "Please…I need to know."
"There was a lab in the center of the ruins…um…facility," she continued. "From what I've been able to translate from various notes and journals, the patients sent to this facility were beyond hope. Insane with no hope of reversal or cure. Many of them violently so. The head of the facility was named Jalene. She was working on an experimental drug of sorts. Although my translation comes closer to calling it a virus. Any way, she created it in the hopes of curing her husband. From what I can tell she lived at the facility with him and their children."
"Twins," John interjected. "Dahvi and Deyenne."
Elizabeth frowned at him. "It didn't mention their names, parts of her journal and her notes are missing.
John didn't need confirmation. He knew the truth. "It's them. They're the reason we're like this...going insane. They...infected us…when they bonded with me to help me heal the others." John was offering up a theory, he was giving her what he knew to be fact. "We have to go back there. Me, Beckett, Ronon and Teyla. Just us."
"John…listen to me." Elizabeth grabbed for his hand and waited until he was focused on her. "From what we can tell, the virus ended up killing everyone. Those that didn't turn on the others, slaughtering them, turned on themselves."
"Such is the way of madness," John whispered to himself. Then he held Elizabeth's gaze. "We have to go back. There is a cure. They told me. They figured it out after their mother died. They outlived everyone. It didn't touch them. They think it's because they were children. Just six years old when it happened.
Elizabeth did not look convinced. "John...I know that this is difficult, but you have to realize that what you think you know...what you think you've experienced -"
He cut her off with a glare. "It's REAL!" John snapped. "I'm not hallucinating or imagining it. I talk to them in my dreams, they...they're calling me back. Calling all of us. You can't help us here, Elizabeth. If we stay here, Ronon and Teyla will die and you'll end up having to lock me and Beckett up to keep us from hurting anyone."
"Ronon and Teyla will die?" Elizabeth echoed, focusing on that part of what he'd said.
"It has something to do with them not having the Ancient gene," John explained, wearily resting his head back against the pillows. He felt beyond tired. Tired in a way that made his bones ache. He let his eyes drift closed, waiting for her to reply. A hand touched his arm and John forced his eyes open.
Elizabeth offered a sad smile. "Get some sleep, John. I need to think about this and get back to you."
He nodded, knowing there was nothing more he could say to convince her. "We don't have much time," he whispered.
"I'll keep that in mind." That said, Elizabeth walked away.
John let the darkness claim him.
- - -
When he woke again, Rodney was with him, tapping away at his laptop.
"Hey," John called out.
"You're awake." Rodney looked surprised and wary as he set aside his laptop and moved over to the bed. "You feel okay?"
John tugged on the restraints. "Not really. What did Weir decide?"
Rodney made a face, looking uncomfortable. "She's not happy about what you said, but I think I've convinced her you have to go."
"You did?" John was surprised. "I thought you didn't believe me about the twins."
"It wasn't that I didn't believe you," Rodney countered, looking peeved. "I just...I didn't have enough facts to decide one way or another. But there's no denying what's happening to you and the others. We can't help you so...well..." he trailed off.
John knew what he didn't want to say. If they couldn't find a way to help themselves at the Ruins, then they wouldn't be coming back. Rodney wasn't good with goodbyes, neither was John. "When can we go?"
Rodney shrugged. "Dr. Manning is arguing that you're not strong enough to go anywhere."
"I don't have time to get stronger, Rodney," John insisted. "We have to go now. Please...talk to Elizabeth for me." He would beg if he had too. But Rodney was already nodding at him.
"I'll be back," Rodney promised, as he grabbed his laptop. Then he hurried away and John closed his eyes and prayed.
- - -
They were gathered in the gateroom. John knew that Elizabeth wasn't happy about this, but he also knew there was no other way. He looked at Beckett who seemed distracted. He knew it was the drugs they were both on. Teyla and Ronon had been injected as well and they looked like Zombies, eyes wide and unfocused, both of them restless in the heavy cuffs and chains that bound their wrists and their ankles together. John hated having to bind them in such a way, but he knew he didn't have the strength to stop them if they got violent.
Elizabeth moved to stand before him. "I think this is a bad idea," she said firmly.
"I know you do," John allowed. "There is no other way. If there was...we'd be doing it."
"True enough," she conceded. "Be safe...and come back home, Colonel."
John managed a shaky grin. "That's the plan." He turned to his team, focusing on Beckett. "Let's move out." John watched Beckett step through the gate, leading Ronon and Teyla through. Then he followed behind them without looking back. It was going to be a long way home.