"Carson," whined the voice, "When's he gonna wake up?"
"I don't know love, there's no way for me to tell for certain."
"I bet if I sat on him he would," she grumbled at Carson.
He chuckled as he replied, "Aye, and I bet that he'd never forgive you." A deep scoff responded to the banter, but John didn't think it belonged to the Scot.
"But Carson I'm bored! She won't let us leave the room until she talks to him, and she won't let Tree and I play outside until she's sure it's absolutely safe."
The conversation paused for a moment until Carson replied, "I'm sorry, but, 'Tree?'"
Girl snickered with scorn and replied, "Come on Carson, he's the size of a tree."
John couldn't help but grin at the girl's condescending tone and opened his eyes to see the man shake off his confusion and say, "I don't think I've ever heard Ronon described that way before."
The girl sat on the edge of the nearest bed, aimlessly swinging her feet. She glanced at John and exclaimed, "Carson, he's awake!"
The man's face changed from bemused confusion to absolute delight as he hurried to John's side and said, "Good to see you up lad, I was getting a mite bit concerned."
Girl's joy disintegrated and her feet stopped swinging as she repeated, "Concerned? You said there was nothing wrong!"
The Scot continued his examination of John as he patiently replied, "No, I said I didn't think there was anything wrong, and he would probably be just fine."
She jumped to her feet, springing for a moment on the hospital bed before retorting, "That's the same thing!"
"Is not."
"Is too!"
From his chair leaned against the far wall, the deep scoffer interjected, "I hate to interrupt, but I have a feeling he'd to like to know what's going on." The intercedent was obviously 'Tree,' and John wasn't quite sure how Carson could've missed that.
"There's no point in asking. Carson will refuse to answer questions again and just tell him to wait for Dr. Weir." She plopped back on the bed in a pout, as John looked to her in confusion. She just nodded towards the door.
"I would be Dr. Weir" A warm and lovely looking woman emerged from the doorway and came to John's bedside. "I see Teyla's briefed you on me- I hope she was kind," she said with a smile.
Teyla rolled from her bed, and leapt into the arms of Tree. She laughed as she settled into his arms and replied, "So long as my brothers and I can play now, you have my full approval."
Weir smiled, and turned her attention back to John. "First off, I'm Dr. Elizabeth Weir, and you are the infirmary of a US scientific outpost. Don't worry about how you got here, just know that you'll be home in about a week, and you won't remember a thing."
The girl wriggled in Tree's arms, and nodded at the foot of John's bed, where he sat her down. John tucked his feet under him and out of her path as she strode up the bed. "Now that that's out of the way we can get to the fun part." His eyes swelled two sizes as she reached her hands down and pulled him to his feet before he even realized he'd reached back. "I am Teyla Emmaggan, daughter of Tagan."
Supposing that manners still applied even in strange pseudo-dreams, he replied, "I'm John Sheppard...son of Alexander Sheppard." He stuck his hand out to shake as she took his shoulders and inclined her head forward. John glanced over her shoulder at Carson who responded with an exaggerated tilt of his head as instruction. John leaned in and touched foreheads for a moment, then she bounded back and started rapidly talking and gesturing around the room again.
"You've met Dr. Weir, and don't bother asking any more questions, she won't answer them, but she did promise to let us play once you woke up." She pointed to the Scottish doctor and said, "That's Carson, he likes us, but he also seems to like sticking us with needles to make sure we're feeling alright, even when we say we are. The one shaped like a tree is Ronon, and the one skulking in the door because we make him a little nervous is Rodney, and they're our brothers."
John tipped his head in respect to each as they were introduced then froze for a moment and stuttered, "Our...our what?"
"I told Dr. Weir that I didn't need a babysitter, I can take care of myself, and I'm sure you can too. But Ronon said he wasn't here to babysit us, he's here because when we came two marines went missing, and they're like siblings to Rodney and Ronon, so we get to take the place of those marines until they get back."
Carson walked to Dr. Weir's side, suppressing a smile at Teyla's overly boisterous behavior and interjected, hoping to spare John from more things that would inspire his utterly lost expression.. "Well Elizabeth, if you're done with your explanation, and I have a feeling Teyla's not going to let you get much further, then I think it's time I put these two to bed."
She whirled on him, the pleading back in her voice. "But Carson, Boy just barely woke up, and you promised we could play!"
"I know Teyla," he consoled, "and I'll keep that promise, but right now you both need rest. Tomorrow, I'm sure Ronon and Dr. McKay will be happy to play any and every game you can think of."
"But Carson..."
"Tomorrow, Teyla." Ronon plucked her off John's bed and laid her back where she belonged. Dr. Weir squeezed John's shoulder and gave him a gentle smile before heading towards the door.
Dr. McKay finally broke his vigil at the door, stepping in as she stepped out. "Elizabeth, if it's not too much trouble, would you mind informing Dr. Zelenka that I'll be, umm,"
"We'll be spending the night." Ronon finished for him as he tucked Teyla in.
"If that's alright, Carson?" The Doctor and Weir both smiled and Rodney pulled over two chairs, placing them in between the feet of the beds.
"But Carson, I'm not..." Teyla couldn't even get her question out for the yawn.
He clicked off the light over her bed, and whispered something kind, then made his way to John. "Don't worry, lad, Dr. Weir will answer all your questions in the morning once the shock has worn off."
Silence held for a moment as the two men shifted in their chairs seeking comfort, then Telya whispered, "Goodnight Ronon, night Rodney, night Boy."
He paused for a moment while the two men murmured their goodnights, then asked, "do you always call people by nicknames?"
He could almost feel her spirit fall as she hesitantly replied "Yes."
He waited a moment, knowing she was debating with herself whether or not she'd lost her new best friend, then he smiled. "Alright then. Goodnight...Lady." He opened his eyes just a crack to pretend he wasn't looking, and saw her smile match his own before he fell into sleep.