-1Disclaimer: I do not own Stargate Atlantis or any of its original characters

Thank you for all the reviews. It helps a lot. Makes me want to write more and more each time. Thank you Capt. Ritter for the advice about breaking the scenes up in my story. I was wondering how to do that. Here is Chapter 4. I hope its not a disappointment.

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"What's going on?" Weir asked as she walked into what was designated as the waiting room of the infirmary. "What's happening?"

"John is sick." Teyla said. "It all started when we went and explored that lab in the lower levels of the city."

"He said that he was fine." Weir said as she sat down on a seat next to Ford.

"You know the Colonel." Ford said. "He wouldn't tell people if he was sick unless they force him to." He looked at Weir. "He's stubborn."

"Yeah I know." Weir said. Dr. Beckett walked out into the waiting room where Teyla, McKay, Weir, and Ford were waiting.

"He is going to be just fine." Dr. Beckett said. "I believe that he has some sort of Atlantean version of the flu. It's nothing worse than the one any of us would experience on earth. The fever is a little worse but other than that……I think he is going to be fine."

There was a sigh out of relief out of both Teyla and McKay. Teyla because she was so worried about his safety and McKay because he thought it was him that caused it.

"We analyzed the x-ray device that Rodney found and there were traces of an the virus on the outside of it. Whoever was handling the device last must have had the virus." Beckett said.

"Why wouldn't it effect the rest of us then?" Ford asked out of the blue.

"John has the ancient gene." Weir said. "That must be it."

"Yeah but I have it too." McKay said.

"But yours is through gene therapy." Dr. Beckett said. "Maybe the virus can tell the difference."

"That's a good possibility." Weir said.

Teyla stood up. "Is he allowed to have visitors yet?" She said hoping that the doctor would let her in to talk to him.

"You can go ahead in." Beckett said.

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"How are you feeling?" Teyla asked as she walked in the doorway.

"I feel like a train hit me." He said. Teyla didn't know how to answer that one. She didn't even know what he was talking about.

"Train?" Teyla repeated with a hint of confusion in her tone.

"Never mind…….in other words…..I feel terrible." John said. He sighed and ran one of his hands through his hair. "Beckett wont let me leave either."

"Why would you want to leave?" Teyla said. "You are not well so you should stay here until you are."

John rolled his eyes. "I don't really like the infirmary that much."

Teyla went and sat down beside his bed in a chair. "John…..please listen to Dr. Beckett this time."

"Teyla…..even if I wanted to leave, I would have a really hard time walking out the door when I cant even stay standing." John said. Teyla gave him an innocent smirk.

There was a silence between them for a few seconds. "Thank you." John said which caught Teyla off guard.

She looked at him. "For what?"

"For staying with me last night and for being there earlier." John said.

"You do not need to thank me John." Teyla said. "I am a friend…….it is the least I could do." She smiled at him. There was another silence between them. Neither of them could think of anything to say to one another.

When she glanced over at him and saw that he was looking at her. "John?"

"I'm sorry…….I was just thinking." John said.

"Well, is it something I can help you with?" Teyla said.

"No……this is something I have to figure out on my own." John said. "Thanks anyway." He laid his head back on the pillow and closed his eyes.

"Well, I will see you later than." Teyla said. John opened his eyes and nodded. Teyla smiled and walked out of the room.

After Teyla walked through the door, feelings and thoughts swamped him from every direction. What am I gonna do now. She is so amazing. All I do is think about her all the time. I trust her more than anyone I've ever met. But what would she do if I told her how I actually feel. He didn't know what to do about the way he felt. He was so confused. He was never so confused in his entire life and he didn't know how to tell her about his feelings.

He sat there for a few minutes deep in thought when McKay walked through the door. "Colonel…..can I speak to you for a minute?" He said hesitating to walk into the room any further.

"Sure……but make it quick." John said. McKay looked at him almost disappointed when John finished. "I'm tired. I want to get some sleep."

McKay relaxed a little and walked over to where Teyla was sitting. He sat down but he didn't really relax which told John that there was something important on his mind.

"What's bothering you?" John asked.

"I just wanted to apologize for everything that has been happening to you lately." McKay said. John was about to say something when McKay continued. "I completely disregarded all of the years of scientific procedure and safety that I have learned both the easy way and the hard way. I….."

"Don't worry about it." John said. "How were you supposed to know that it had bacteria on it?" John didn't know if it would make McKay feel any better but he didn't blame him for what happened to him. The ancients had a thing for not writing adequate instructions and warnings on things.

"Its just that I feel so bad about what happened and I know that it all stemmed from the x-ray device that I had and turned on…..but….." He stopped dead and started thinking about something different. "Hold that thought…….I need to talk to Carson." He got up and started to walk to the door.

"Okay." John said making McKay turn around to look at him. He nodded and walked out of the infirmary and off to see Dr. Beckett.

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McKay went to Dr. Beckett and tapped him on the shoulder. Dr. Beckett turned around with an annoyed look on his face. "Rodney……what do you want?" He said.

"I think I have a theory about the x-ray device and why it effects Sheppard so much." He said with some what of an excited look on his face.

"Okay….what is it?" He said.

"Well, what if the x-ray device is wraith?" McKay said.

"I'm listening." Beckett said.

"Well, we know that the wraith and the ancients had an all out war 10,000 years ago. Maybe they were experimenting on the x-ray device. Maybe the wraith deliberately made it to get rid of the ancients. I mean….we know that they heal themselves so the only use of an x-ray device for the wraith would be to inflict harm on the ancients." McKay said. "And as far as the pain that Colonel Sheppard experiences every time it's on……well, like I said, it's a theory."

"And the ancient gene?" Beckett said.

"Like you said earlier……maybe it can recognize who actually has the specific gene and who has had gene therapy to get it artificially." McKay said. "I still need to look in the ancient data base to find out more but that's what I think is going on."

"I think you're on to something Rodney." Beckett said. "Let me know what you find out." McKay nodded and practically ran out the door.

A few minutes later, Ford walked in and walked over to Dr. Beckett. "Hey…..can I go in and talk to Colonel Sheppard for a minute?"

"Yeah, go ahead……but if he's sleeping, please don't disturb him." Dr. Beckett said in a serious tone. Ford nodded and walked into the room that John was placed in.

"Sir…..can I talk to you for a minute?" Ford asked with sincerity in his voice.

"Yeah……what's up?" John said in a casual tone like absolutely nothing was wrong with him. For went over and sat down in the chair beside his bed.

"Listen……I know you don't want to tell Dr. Beckett and the rest of them what's going on, but…"

"I already said that I was fine." John said.

"Sir…..I'm not talking about why you're here, I'm talking about why you destroyed your room." Ford said.

"Oh….that." John said. He sat there thinking for a minute. "I got mad."

"Well, Teyla seems convinced that its something more and that its her fault that you got mad to begin with. She has been miserable since this whole mess started." Ford said.

"Why didn't she say anything to me when she was in here just a few minutes ago?" John whispered to himself.

"Probably for the same reasons why you never tell anyone about anything that you need help with." Ford said. "No offense sir……but you're stubborn."

"Did she put you up to this?" John asked a little irritated by the apparent attempt to delve into his feelings. He sat up on his bed, the emotion apparent on his face.

"No….." I came here on my own free will." Ford said. "After being here for so long and all the shit that all of us has been through, I've come to see you as a close friend but I guess stuff like that is too much of a burden for leaders." Ford was furious. John was like his best friend…..like a brother to him.

"Listen……..its complicated." John said. "I has a lot to do with my past and how I was raised." He shook his head. "It has nothing to do with you and anyone else around here." He sighed. "Its something I have to handle on my own."

"Okay….whatever man." Ford said in a disappointed voice and walked out.