Sorry for the long delay folks. The summer was quite an exciting adventure, but now that I'm in a new and tougher high school, life just kinda took over. Midterms and finals, sucking my time into black hole know as Private High School. Argh! But I somehow managed to finish my homework within a reasonable hour and decided to update!

Now, since it's been so long since I've updated, you may want to review the first chapter… Well, Enjoy!

Carson walked briskly down the hall toward Lt. Colonel John Sheppard's quarters. The man had left the Mess looking so blue that he may have blended in with the sky. His bright hazel eyes no longer holding the life it they once held. Carson followed the man with his eyes until he had exited the Mess and stood, busing his tray, unaware that he had cut off a conversation with Teyla.

"Dr. Beckett?" She asked, glancing up.

"Oh, luv," He smacked his forehead. "Ah'm sorry. But I really must go. How about breakfast tomorrow at…oh say…9 am?" She smiled gently and nodded.

"That would be very nice Dr. Beckett." She said. He returned the grin and left, his lab coat trailing behind him.

And here he was now, standing at the Colonel's door, hitting the chime over and over. The door was locked, and there was no answer for some time now. Fearing the worst, Carson resorted to radioing Rodney.

"Rodney?" He asked.

"Yes, Yes. What?" He answered briskly; keys clacking could be heard in the background.

"Ah'm at John's door and he won't seem to answer it. Do you think you can open it for me?"

"Have you tried opening it using the ATA lock?"

"If I did would I be calling you?"

"Right…a few moments here…aaannndd…done." The connection was cut and the door slid open.

"Thank you Rodney." He said, knowing he would get no response. Stepping inside he surveyed the room before him. It was neat and orderly, just as Carson expected, but no sign of the Colonel.

"John?" Carson called quietly. Soon, he determined that John was not in his quarters. Carson let out a long sigh and hung his head, knowing he would need to call Rodney again. Touching his ear gently, he called Rodney's name.

"What Carson? Still can't figure it out? Maybe there's a reason that you can't…" Carson cut him off.

"You know that program you were developing with finding specific life signs?" Carson asked.

"Yeah," Rodney began, "But I've only got a few personnel in the database."

"Colonel Sheppard among them?"

"Sure, I entered the Head's first. Why? You lookin' for him?"

"Yes, he seemed a bit upset when he left supper. Can you locate him?"

"On it." More keys were heard clacking and Rodney returned. "I can't find him. Maybe there is something wrong with the program or maybe even the scanner. Sorry Carson."

Carson paused for a moment. The Colonel had been known for disappearing amongst the scanners using his ATA gene.

"Can you extend the scanners to the unexplored areas? Perhaps he went for a run?" Again, there was frantic typing.

"Got him. He's…in the water? Wait…that doesn't make sense…?" More keys, but Carson wasn't paying attention.

"Rodney? Where in the water?" His voice was worried now. It was too cold for just a night swim. The skies were overcast, and the water frigid. If the Colonel was in the water…

"Near the East pier but…" Carson never heard the rest. He just took off at a sprint toward the nearest transporter. He punched his finger into the small blue dot that represented transporter near the east pier.

Upon reaching it, he ran out the doors at full speed and nearly ran into a wall when he heard what Rodney had to say next.

"Wait! The sign disappeared! Stupid piece of worthless junk…" He trailed off and Carson's heart leapt into his throat.

"No…" Carson breathed. He set off at a run again, nearing his destination. He flew into the open air, almost immediately getting soaked as the rain came down hard. He stood at the edge searching the water for that bobbing dark head. For a few moments he thought maybe the scanners were lying, that John was sitting in the Mess ginning and out of harms way. But then he saw it. That hair that could defy gravity, even when wet. He screamed into his radio for a medical team. Flung his radio out of his ear, shook off his lab coat and kicked off his shoes. Finally, he dove into the water.

For a moment, he was stunned, to numb to move. But soon, the adrenaline kicked in and he broke the surface gasping for air, searching for that dark head once more. Unable to locate it, he dove underwater and cracked his eyes open, stinging from the salt. Seeing a dark figure in the distance, he began to kick. He kicked for all he was worth and within a few sluggish moments, he reached John. He hooked an arm around the man's chest and began to kick for the surface.

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