SPOILER ALERT: If you haven't seen Sunday, you may not want to continue reading this until you do as this chapter contains a major spoiler. Sorry! However, it's quite easy for you to view this episode, beside the other options I won't mention, you can download it from iTunes, for $2, regardless of whether you have a PC or Mac. I highly recommend that you see it. Now!
I'm posting today instead of tomorrow due to some RL stuff. Otherwise, I will try to post on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. :)
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In a rather now routine twist, the scenery changed like the flipping of a television channel. His team was gone and he was relatively unharmed, standing in the midst of a rocky desert scene.
"Carson?" Sheppard's voice cracked as he stared at the figure before him.
It couldn't be. He almost didn't want it to be. The pain of the past was unbearable.
Yet there the good doctor was…though a little transparent in nature. Sheppard could see a boulder the size of a Jumper just beyond Carson and, in fact, right through Carson.
"Aye." Carson smiled sweetly with a nod.
"What are you doing here?" Sheppard looked at the man through the corner of his eyes, his posture stiff, ready to spring into action at a moment's notice. In this tumultuous reality of his, he had become quite accustomed to the idea.
"You tell me, colonel. Last thing I know, I was enjoying some rather sumptuous pastries me mum…"
Sheppard held up a hand, effectively silencing the Scot.
"Spare me the details, doc. Do you know how the hell I can get out of here?" He took a step closer to Carson, whom crossed his arms thoughtfully. There was a stethoscope hanging from his neck, the clothes upon his frame that of the very ones the doc had been wearing the day he died.
"You're team is working on that, son." Carson came to stand within an arm's reach of the colonel.
The hair on the back of his neck stood on end.
"That doesn't help me, Carson." Sheppard shook his head. Eyes locked and in that instant, Sheppard knew that Carson was here for a different purpose.
He stepped back suddenly weary of this ghostly visage.
"There's nothing to be afraid of, John."
"I don't know about that, doc. So far it's been pretty damned scary. I don't even know what's happened to my team…how do I know they're safe?"
"Trust me. They are safe." Carson reassured him. But Sheppard wasn't consoled. He couldn't be…not in this tormented world of his.
"How do I get out of this, Carson?"
"That's a bit complicated." Carson admitted.
"Complicated how?" Sheppard prompted in agitation.
"This is out of your hands, colonel." Carson shook his head.
"You know I can't accept that as an answer, Carson." Sheppard gestured animatedly.
Carson nodded to himself, looking to the ground for a moment. Sheppard twitched with agitation. He was getting really tired of this mess.
"Carson, please. You know I would have done anything…I would have traded places with you if I could…just to…"
Carson held up a hand, eyes locked with John's.
"I know. I know." Carson took in a deep breath before continuing. "It was my choice, John. Remember that."
Sheppard, eyes downcast, swallowed against the lump forming in his throat. When Carson next spoke he met the man's gaze.
"There is something I can do."
"Wait." Sheppard held up a hand, weary for the first time, of Carson's true purpose. "If this is going to harm you in any way…."
Carson smiled with gratitude and a hint of something Sheppard couldn't identify.
"You haven't changed, thank god for that, John. I am fine. I am happy, in fact. It is you, who we need to concentrate on now, John."
Carson paused, staring deep into Sheppard's hungered eyes. Sheppard felt his heart pounding…realizing with mild hope that he might just have a chance of a way out. Then Carson spoke.
"Open your eyes."
Sheppard furrowed his brow at the doctor, his eyes darting around in disbelief before locking back onto Carson's.
"They are open."
Carson shook his head with a knowing smile. That smile both freaked him out and angered him at the same moment.
"No, John, they aren't." Carson stepped closer and settled both of his transparent hands upon John's shoulders. Unfortunately, John didn't feel his consoling touch.
"Is this some kind of metaphor that I'm supposed to decipher? Because that's really McKay's job."
Carson chuckled, the creases at the corners of his eyes a warm sight for Sheppard.
"I've missed this, I really have." Carson smiled and stepped back from Sheppard, his hands returning to his sides.
His form began to fade causing Sheppard to step forward, as if he could prevent it. He didn't want Carson to go. Not yet. It was the first form of comfort he had experienced thus far.
"Wait…Carson!"
And in a whisper, Carson's form dissipated, along with his calm voice, "Open your eyes, John."
An abrupt force slammed into Sheppard, knocking him several feet backward and onto the ground. Bright light flashed rapidly around him, causing him to close his eyes against the harshness of it. His head smacked against the hard surface of the ground, bouncing several times before settling. Blinking harshly, Sheppard struggled to cling to consciousness, trying to determine what had just happened to him.
Large drops of rain pummeled down upon him. There was a swirling puddle of mud beside him, intermixing with droplets of red. He stared at the merging colors of the swirling puddle, mesmerized.
It took him a few moments to register that his reality had yet again abruptly shifted to a new scenario. The frustration within him was barely contained.
His head screamed at him. A driving pain pierced into his head like a knife, and began to thrum to the beat of his heart. Grimacing, he slowly lifted himself into a sitting position. His attention returned to the puddle of mud beside him.
The rain continued to fall, washing into little swirls of muddy brown. A darker color plopped down into the midst of one of the swirls, disrupting its momentum. Deep red lines began to blend with the brown and as the rain fell harder, the colors merged and washed away.
Something nagged at Sheppard. Had he experienced this before?
More drops of red intermixed with the rain and it took him a few moments to realize the drops were coming from him.
He turned his gaze upward, dazed eyes blinking heavily against the raindrops that threatened to drown his very spirit.
And suddenly, as a stream of thoughts rushed through his aching head, he realized with dread that everything was repeating itself.
The feeling of defeat returned. He knew his team was missing. He couldn't recall which way the gate was. And, naturally, he knew his time was running out...
--tbc--