I sit up in bed gasping, a hand flying to my throat. It takes me a few minutes to orient myself and realize that I'm still in Atlantis. It was just a bad dream. I take a deep breath and lean against my pillows, my heart still racing. Then it hits me; the kids. I bolt out of bed and dash into the living room, but it's empty. That was part of the dream as well. My eyes wander around the room in the dawn light and I dimly make out the outlines of suitcases. So we did come back from the mainland, that's good to know. But what's the date? I'm confused. More so than normal. I walk over to the coffee table and turn on my computer. After it loads I roll the mouse over to the time and double-click to see the date. It's the 15th of November. We came back on the 14th. Which was yesterday.

I sigh and lean on the back of the couch. That was one hell of a dream, it felt so real. I lightly rub a hand over my throat, the memory of Neium trying to choke me still vivid in my mind. I see that I have half an hour until I'm supposed to get up, so I have two choices; I can a) go back to sleep and hope that I don't have another bad dream or b) stay up and get a head start on the day.

I choose b because the nightmare is still creeping me out and I don't want to have a repeat, so I jump into the shower and am able to take my time for once. It felt nice to soak for a bit instead of rushing as I usually have to do. After drying off and dressing for the day, I kill the rest of the time working on a letter and then head down for some breakfast. I run into Lydia and Crysta there and we chat over breakfast. But I'm not my bubbly/slightly neurotic self, the dream still throwing me off. After we finish I head over to the classroom and work on some paperwork until the kids come.

We have fun, but throughout the day one thing or another reminds me of the dream so I'm slightly less fun then normal. At lunch Logan joins us, as he normally does, but I can't seem to get into a conversation with him. The rest of the day passes without anything major happening. I notice that the kids are quieter than usual, so I wonder if they're coming down with something. The end of the day comes and the parents pick up the kids, everyone more subdued than usual.

It must be the weather, yesterday it was sunny and bright and today it's grey and cold. It's almost like seasons changed overnight. I work in the classroom for a bit, just this and that, not really doing anything. When it's around 7pm I finally head down towards the cafeteria, but walk past it. I'm just not feeling hungry at the moment. I head for my room and after I enter, slip on a Green Bay Packer's hoodie. I try to finish a letter but I just lack the energy to do anything, including the letter. I turn off the computer and take off the hoodie. I think that I've caught whatever the kids might have.

I let out a heavy sigh and head to bed. I'm under the covers when I realize that it's poker night. Looking at the clock I see that there's 10 minutes until the game starts and still have time to make it if I want to. Frak it, I don't have the energy to pretend that I'm alright. I turn out the light and am asleep within seconds.

-Let's do the Time Warp again...-

The next thing I know my alarm's going off. Damn, it feels like I just fell asleep. I groan but get up anyways. I feel like hell. I plod into the bathroom, turn on the water to my normal temperature and get undressed. Stepping into the shower I get under the water and find that it's too hot for me. I turn it to cold and smile as the cold water washes over me. After drying off and getting dressed, I head for some breakfast.

It's pancakes and eggs, but I end up only getting some orange juice. I sit down and stare at the bottle, trying to muster up enough energy to open it. Maybe I'll suddenly develop teletentic powers and open the bottle with my mind. I sigh; fat chance of that happening. But hey, we're in a distant galaxy in a city that was supposedly just legend. Anything's possible.

"You ok?" I hear Lydia say. I look up and see her tray loaded with pancakes, eggs, and bacon. My stomach feels queasy by just looking at food and I'm glad that I didn't get anything.

I shrug and say, "I'm fine, just not that hungry."

"If you say so. Missed you at the game last night. What happened?"

"I was just really tired." I say finally finding the energy to open the bottle and I take a sip.

"Well you missed one hell of a game." Lydia says, smiling. "Asha won almost every hand and the lights kept blinking on and off. When we talked to McKay about it, he said that everything was fine and that we were just making it up. So we ended the game early because we couldn't concentrate and the lights were starting to give us a headache. Brown had her laptop with her so she hooked it up trying to fix the lights and discovered that the lights in that room only were being given the command to turn on and off. Guess who was doing it?"

I shrug, not really up for guessing and say, "Who?"

"Sheppard. I guess he teamed up with McKay to interrupt our game. I'm planning revenge as we speak, want in?"

I shake my head and say, "No thanks."

Lydia looks at me like I just told her that the Lone Gunman really were dead and then said, "Are you sure you're ok? You don't look so hot and since when do you turn down an offer for revenge? Remember the shaving cream?"

"Yea, that was good." I say smiling. "I fine really, just sleep deprived. I just need another good nights sleep and I'll be back to my normal self."

"If your sure." Lydia says, not quite convinced.

"I am."

"Ok. But promise me if you're not fine you'll stop by the infirmary after class."

"If it'll get you off my back."

"Yes."

"Fine, mother. I promise if I'm not feeling so hot by the end of class I'll stop by and see Carson." I say, standing. "Now if you'll excuse me I have to get to class."

"Later." Lydia says as I walk away. I give her a limp wave and make my way out into the hallway. I'm halfway to the transporter when I hear Carson calling for me.

"What's up Dr. Beckett?" I say, moving to the side of the hallway and pausing.

"Please call me Carson."

"Alright, what's up Carson?"

"I just wanted to let you know that the kids aren't comin' to class today."

"Anything wrong?"

"They've come down with a slight flu. Nothin' serious, just somethin' that'll keep them out of class for a few days."

"All of them?"

"Aye. You've got the day off, lass."

"Thanks for letting me know." I say calmly, while inside I can't wait to go back to bed. I can already hear my bed and Commander Bun-Bun beckoning to me. "Sleeeeeep," they're calling. "Sleeeeeeeeep...sleeeeeeeeeeeeeep." Mmmm, sleep. I can't wait.

"No problem lass. Let me know if you get the same thing as them."

"I will." There's then the slight click letting me know that Carson's cut the connection and I make my way back to my room. I fall into bed without taking anything off (including my shoes) and I groan with pleasure at the feel of the cool pillowcase on my hot face. I close my eyes and the next thing I know I hear someone calling my name. "Max, you there?"

"Hmm, who is this?" I mumble, my eyes still closed.

"It's Logan. Where are you?"

"In my room. Why?"

"It's lunchtime I was just wondering if you were going to join me. You know, so we can have lunch together like we always do."

At the mere mention of lunch my stomach lurches and it's all I can do to not hurl right then and there. "No, I'm feelin' a little under the weather today."

"You ok?" Logan asks, the concern in his voice evident.

"Yea, just need some sleep. Which you interrupted." I say, rolling over. I open my eyes and squint in the light even though it's cloudy.

"You want me to bring you something to eat?"

"For the love of Fred, no." I say, my stomach lurching. I get up and stumble to the bathroom while saying, "Gotta go, talk to you later." I move to the toilet and heave for a few seconds. When it finally ends, I catch my breath and make my way back to bed. Ok, so maybe I'm not sleep deprived. But it's most likely a 24hr bug and I'll be fine in the morning.

I feel hot and take off my sweatshirt that I had put on when I got back from breakfast, then lay down with my 'Superman' tank top on. I close my eyes again and drift off. I wake up slightly when there's a chime at my door, a minute's pause, and then another chime. Then Logan's voice on my headset calling my name and asking if I'm alright. Now I'm freezing. I feel around for my sweatshirt and pull it on. I try to muster the energy to get up and show him that I'm alright, but I can't find it. I used it all putting on my sweatshirt again. I then hear the 'swish' of my door opening and footsteps. Great, I have a burglar.

"Max?"

It's not a burglar, it's Logan. How did he get in? I'll ask him later when I give a damn. He's in the living room now, still calling my name. Quite loudly I might add. My mind tells him to shut up and that I'm fine, but all that escapes is "Mfph."

He pauses and then I hear him walking towards the bedroom. Oh, God. I don't want a guy who isn't my boyfriend or gay in my bedroom. Go away, Logan. Let me sleep.

"Max, you ok?" I hear him ask.

I don't answer him and I feel the bed slightly jostle as he moves closer. I then feel a hand on my forehead. "You're burning up." I hear him say.

Thank you for the weather report. God, is it so hard for you to lower your voice to sonic boom?

"Carson? It's Logan. I'm in Max's room. No you didn't win the bet. She's sick. Got a fever and when I was talking to her earlier I heard her heave a few times. Gotcha, I'm on my way with her now."

What bet is he talking about? Wait, on second thought I don't want to know. This place is like freakin' Las Vagas; a pool on almost everything. I feel Logan's hands under my body and I give a squeak of protest. Hey, watch the hands buddy. I can kick you ass; I did it once before and I can do it again.

"It's ok; I'm taking you to the infirmary." He says in a soft voice. Thank you, that was so much better. He sits me up and a wave of dizziness washes over me. I sway for a moment, and then I feel Logan's hands steadying me. Ooo, he has nice strong hands. Wait, what am I thinking? I have a boyfriend for crying out loud! I shouldn't be thinking these kinds of thoughts.

He then picks me up and I can feel him moving towards the door. I drift off again when we hit the doorway and wake up slightly when I hear more voices. Huh, we must be in the infirmary already. That was fast. I feel Logan lay me down and I faintly smile when I feel the coolness of the pillow and sheets.

"Thanks Logan. We'll take it from here." I hear Carson say, his soft lilting voice having a slightly sedating effect on me. Keep on talking and I'll be asleep in no time.

"You'll let me know how she is?"

"Of course. Now go."

I hear footsteps moving away from me and hear Carson say to someone, "She's runnin' a high temp. Let's get her iced down."

Iced down? What am I, coffee? I start to drift off again as I feel that I'm being moved, more like rolled, somewhere else and wake up as I'm being lifted up and down into something, like a tub, and finally drift off again as I hear and feel ice being poured on me. God, that feels so good.

A/N: I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaaack! School's almost out for the rest of the year so I can now update regularly. I must say that one good thing about a snow day is that you can get everything done before noon and have time to update before making the trek to work. -grin-

And here's my first challenge -cheers-; Write a revenge!fic that involves Max, Lydia, and shaving cream. It can be any rating, any pair, just make sure you credit the characters to whom they belong to and let me know so I can pimp the story.

Anyhoo, all Canon characters belong to Cooper/Wright, Logan belongs to James Cameron, and Lydia belongs to BiteMeTechie. Tell me what you think of the chapter.