Chapter 9: Realities Away I
While Elizabeth was being wheeled to the control room, Major Lorne and his men were making their way to Ronan, Rodney and John's last known location- they themselves found that they were back in the Atlantean lab that was quickly filling up with water.
Panic gripped Rodney when he couldn't feel the floor beneath his feet and it only subsided once John helped him to the wall, where there was a fallen beam that he could cling onto.
"Rodney!" John asked, panicked as well. "What happened?"
"I don't know!" Rodney admitted with despair as he clutched onto the fallen beam with all his might.
"How can you not know?" John asked, frustration and fury pushing the panic aside.
"I just don't!"
"This is great." Ronan muttered as he joined Rodney and John on the wall.
"I know, I know." Rodney agreed furiously. "I will fix this."
"No," John countered shaking his head. "Elizabeth will help us- if the radio's not broken." He tapped the communication device in his ear and spoke into it. "Elizabeth, this is Sheppard- do you read me?" There was static, which caused the panic to rise up in John a little bit but he took a breath and continued again. "Elizabeth." He repeated, "This is John. Do you-" There was more static and a voice rang out in his ear.
"John?" Elizabeth's voice asked astonishment and shock clearly evident in her voice.
"Yeah, listen. Rodney-"
"Rodney's there too?" Elizabeth interrupted, her voice breaking slightly causing John to wonder how long they had been gone.
"Of course I am Elizabeth." Rodney interjected, after listening in on the conversation and realising that once again, he would have to tell them what to do. "Listen, the room that we are in is flooded, can you see if Zelenka can remotely open the doors of the lab that we are in."
"Of, of course." Came Elizabeth's shaky reply.
Within moments, the doors opened and the water rushed out taking Ronan, Rodney and John with it. They all landed hard in the hall and took a few moments to internally check for any broken bones.
"You two alright?" John asked getting to his feet, watching Ronan and Rodney do the same.
"Yes."
"Uh- yeah." Rodney agreed. "It would seem like I am."
"Good, now." He tapped his communication device and contacted Elizabeth again.
"Listen Elizabeth, I don't know what happened- but we'll be making our way to the city now."
"Of course." Elizabeth replied again, her voice still sounding shaky. "But I want Carson to check you out first. Alright?"
'Carson?'
The thought rang like a warning bell in their heads and both John and Rodney looked at each other and then at Ronan who merely shrugged his shoulders. Suddenly Rodney's eyes lit up and he mouthed 'Alternate Reality' to John. John just glowered at Rodney for his stupidity.
"John?" Elizabeth's voice broke though their silent communication and forced them both back into reality. "John are you okay?"
"We're fine Elizabeth." John stated as they started walking towards the city. "Does Carson really have to check us out?"
"Yes." She replied sternly and John could almost she her clasp her hands together. "He does. Weir out."
oOo
"Did I hear right lass?" Carson asked as he stepped up beside Elizabeth who was standing in the centre of the control room. "John and Rodney are back?"
"Yes." She replied, her breath quickening as she answered her CMO. "They are back Carson. They're back in Atlantis. Please, gather your medical team and meet up with them Make sure that the two of them are alright and bring them to the briefing room when you are done."
"Aye lass." Carson nodded; knowing what she was feeling as he quickly left the control room. Elizabeth watched him go and tried to breathe. They were back.
Meanwhile, still in the bowels of Atlantis; John, Rodney and Ronan were still walking towards the main part of the city.
"So what do you mean we're in an alternate reality?" Ronan asked shaking his head in confusion. "How could we be in another reality?"
"Like I've said," Rodney began with a tone of annoyance in his voice. "-it must have been -"
"Good god lads," Came the voice of Carson as he rounded a corner with several medical personal behind him- one being a nurse who bore a striking similarity to Dr. Jennifer Keller. "-I don't know what you think that you've been doing but-"
Carson paused at the gasps from the men in front of him. It was then he saw that while Rodney and John were alright, there was a third man with them. He saw that Ronan- the runner that they had encountered nearly two years ago was with them. As he looked at the three men, all of whom were sporting shocked faces- he saw that something was amiss. He scrutinized John and Rodney and just knew that something was off about them. He couldn't tell what it was, so he kept his doubts to himself and then just continued on speaking.
"-as I was saying Elizabeth wants to make sure that you lads are alright. After all you've been gone for-"
"Carson?" Rodney asked, stepping forward, amazed that he was seeing his best-friend before him. "Is that really you?"
"Of course it's me lad." Carson answered, his tone suggesting that Rodney was mad. "Who else would I be?"
"Oh I knew it..." Rodney muttered as he put his head in his hands.
"...knew what?" Carson asked looking from John to Rodney to Ronan. "What did you know Rodney?"
oOo
Meanwhile back on their Atlantis, Elizabeth was wringing her hands as she sat in the control room. She knew full well that Major Lorne and his men would be reaching the lab in a matter of moments but she could not wait any longer. Frantic to get some answers she tapped her radio ear-piece and spoke.
"Major Lorne?" She asked, crossing her fingers as she hoped desperately for news, any news.
"We've just reached the lab ma'am." Major Lorne answered and after a moment of silence Elizabeth could hear Lorne's sharp intake of breath and she knew that something wasn't right.
"What is it?" Elizabeth asked worriedly as she stared ahead, trying to picture in her mind's eye what Major Lorne was seeing. "What did you find?"
"Nothing..." Major Lorne replied softly.
"What?" Elizabeth asked with horror. "How can there be nothing there? They have to be there. Even if they had-" Elizabeth paused not wanting to say what she had been thinking all along.
'Even if they had died their bodies would still be there.'
She shook the thought away and continued. "They have to be there."
"I know ma'am-" Major Lorne agreed his voice unusually quiet. "But they are gone."
"How can they just be gone?" Elizabeth asked, her mind trying to grasp the situation. "They couldn't have just disappeared into thin air- could they?"
"I know that Dr. Weir." Major Lorne answered sympathetically. "But where else could they have gone?"
"I don't know..." Elizabeth admitted shaking her head as she rubbed her weary eyes. It was in that moment that a though struck her. "Major Lorne, is there a device in that room still?"
"Yes." Major Lorne confirmed. "There is a large triangle- it almost looks like a gate- and it has a control panel next to it."
'A gate that is not a gate.' Elizabeth thought to herself in wonder before she spoke. "Is the control panel on? Is it displaying writing?"
"Yes." Major Lorne confirmed as he stood in front of the display screen of Rodney's laptop. "But it's in a dialect of Ancient that I don't know."
"I'm on my way." Elizabeth answered. "Major Lorne, stay where you are I'm on my way." Elizabeth paused and looked to her left where she saw Radek standing nervously. "Radek-?"
"Yes?" Radek asked as he jumped to attention. He had been silent throughout the entire exchange but Elizabeth could see that we was willing and eager to help.
"Come with me."
A/N- THANK YOU TO 'HopelesslyEscaflowne' for reviewing. I said that I wouldn't put up this chapter till someone reviewed and someone did. :D I hope that the rest of you, beloved readers liked this chapter and will review this one too. Depending on the reviews, you could see a new chapter as soon as tomorrow...