Chapter 2: Awakening
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There was something about the Lantean that drew the Major to him, however he couldn't put his finger on the cause. He had an ethereal beauty about him, not that he would ever admit to anyone, well maybe Teyla, the woman was trustworthy and could keep a secret.
"How long has he been out?" Sheppard asked.
"Just under two days" Carson said, checking his tablet.
"And the scans show that he is in fact an Ancient?" Sheppard asked.
"It's not just the scan. Have you noticed that the city seems to be giving off a pleasant hum?" he asked and for a moment Sheppard was about to call him nuts, however, the city does seem to be giving off a sort of vibe which he could describe as pleasant.
"I have" Sheppard answered.
"It's been present since he was brought out of stasis. Other gene carriers can hear it too" the Scot said.
"If he's an Ancient, why hasn't he come out of it yet?" the Major asked.
"Despite the fact that he is Ancient, physically he was younger than Elizabeth when she arrived in that time machine so he may have had a different reaction to the stasis. Different people react differently to things like that" Carson said, before giving him an odd look.
"What?" Sheppard asked, noticing the odd look.
"You don't even know him and yet you've been here since he's been moved here" Carson said.
"Someone has to be. Rodney is busy gathering data on the planets which have the outposts and I can't expect Elizabeth to watch over every person we bring out of stasis" he defended easily.
"Well if you're going to be staying here, make sure you're still getting plenty of sleep" the Scot said.
"Don't worry, doc. I'm getting sleep" the other waved him off.
"Okay" the good doctor said, patting him on the arm and walking to one of the others who had gotten themselves injured in some way or another. He lapsed back into a silence, his gaze on the sleeping Lantean, waiting for the moment for him to wake up. Soon, he found himself dozing off as well when a hand on his shoulder woke him, and he turned to see Teyla.
"I am sorry, Major. I have disturbed you" the Athosian said.
"Nah, I'm fine. Just resting my eyes"
"You are sleeping well?" she asked.
"I'm sleeping fine. Just thought I'd be the one to speak to him once he's awake, allow Elizabeth time to catch up on work she missed when her older self was here" he explained and she gave a nod.
"Has there been any change?" she asked.
"Not yet. He's been out for at least two days with no change. He's physically fine but Carson seems to think that he's just taking time to work off the stasis" John explained to her. "We'll wait however long we have to" he added.
"Well we can not wait too long. The moment Dr. McKay finds more data on one of the planets, Dr. Weir wishes to send us out" Teyla explained and he gave a nod.
"Don't worry, I know"
"I will leave you be" she said, walking away.
He brought a second chair around and Carson offered him a pillow for his back which he accepted with a tired, grateful smile and he made himself as comfortable as he could. He was vaguely aware of a thin blanket been draped over him and despite the fact that he was barely comfortable, he soon slipped into a peaceful sleep.
(Half an Hour Later)
He could hear a small groan and a shuffling and he himself yawned and groaned in complaint, taking the quilt off and looking around. The Lantean was stirring and he was at his bedside, waiting for him to open his eyes.
"Carson" he called and the Scot came over to them.
"Looks like he's finally waking" the CMO said.
Slowly a set of gray eyes opened, the lights dimming to allow his sight to adjust and the Lantean was staring up into a set of cloudy blue orbs. The doctor smiled reassuringly, offering him a small cup of water.
"Small sips" he instructed.
He did as he was asked, meaning that he understood perfectly what was said to him and with a smile he handed the cup back to him.
"Thank you" was the grateful reply.
"You speak English?" Sheppard asked.
"If by English you mean the language that most humans speak, then yes I do. Is that what they chose to call it on Earth?" he asked with a small smile.
"Yeah" Sheppard replied with a grin.
"How are you feeling?" Carson asked.
"Refreshed and the most rested I have felt in many years. My name is Loros" he introduced.
"I'm Dr. Carson Beckett and this is Major John Sheppard" Carson introduced the two.
"Yes, I know who you are. Elizabeth had told me all about you, or rather the older version of her as I am she is right now" he said with a small smile. Upon noticing their saddened looks, he put two and two together. "She has passed?" he asked.
"The night we brought you out of stasis" Carson said.
"I see" he said sadly. "I trust she was able to tell you everything before she died?" he asked and they gave a small nod.
"You knew her well?" the Scot asked.
"I did. When we awoke every 3.3 thousand years, she would tell me of Earth" he said. "Judging by the fact that you are here, I am to assume that the city is on the surface?" he asked and they gave a nod. He gave a wide smile.
"Quite the relief. Right, I'm going to take a few more tests just to make sure that everything is as it should be, and then I'm going to release you. I can see about getting someone to sort out your hair as well if you'd like" Carson offered and the Lantean looked to his right, seeing his hair flow down his shoulder.
"I had no idea it would grow so long, even in stasis"
"Some people in the city know how to cut hair. I'll see what I can do" Carson said.
"Thank you Dr. Beckett" he said with a grateful smile.
"Please, call me Carson" the Scot said with a smile in return. The good doctor walked out of the room to grab his tablet whilst the Lantean sighed in happiness, unaware he was been watched. Sheppard gave a small chuckle.
"Major Sheppard. I had forgotten you were here" he said.
"You wound me" was the sarcastic reply. "Call me John" the Major said.
"How long have I been asleep?" he asked.
"In total, just under two days, since we got you out of stasis" Sheppard explained, pulling one of the chairs closer and sitting down next to his bedside.
"Have you slept here the entire time?" Loros asked, noticing the pillow and thin blanket.
"Yeah. Elizabeth had work to do so I volunteered to wait until you woke up, that and we were a little concerned because you weren't waking up" John said.
Well this was partially the truth. They were all concerned as to why the younger of the two people who entered stasis didn't awaken first. However, John was more concerned about him and the Major didn't know why he felt this way.
"Stasis is only an artificial sleep, I haven't slept naturally and despite the fact that we have a more unique physiology to you, we still need to sleep as much. My body must have decided that I needed to get as much sleep as I possibly could" he theorized and the Major gave an inward sigh of relief. "Am I keeping you from everything?" Loros asked.
"No. If fact I've been needing a break for a long time" Sheppard said.
"I can imagine. Living in our galaxy must be taxing" Loros said with a grin.
"It's not so much the galaxy, more like the Wraith" he said and Loros gave a rueful smile.
"They have awoken?" he asked and John nodded. "I believe the phrase 'Welcome Home' won't be spoken by them" he said sarcastically and the other nodded. Carson walked back with a small smile and he was holding a tablet.
"Well you're in perfect health so there is no reason why I can't release you. I left your clothes on the table" he said, gesturing to the small table by his bedside. "I'll get you a curtain so you can dress in private and then you can go" the Scot said and the Lantean gave a small but grateful smile.
(Two Hours Later)
He walked down the residential corridors in one of the towers, finding out from the city that she had made sure his quarters were sealed and that no one could have them. He held his hand over the panel and the doors slid open, revealing a large 'Penthouse Suite' as Rodney referred to it.
"Home" he whispered to himself.
His large bed was still neatly kept with plain black sheets covering the thick duvet and two thick and comfortable pillows. The balcony was covered and had two white leather chairs, one on each side and a small table between them and in his communal area he had a large but low circular table, the entirety of it glass, the interior of the circle lit in blue light. Four white chairs, like the ones outside were around it.
"I always wondered what this room was" a female voice made him jump and he turned.
"Elizabeth" he said with a small smile.
"I see you managed to get you hair cut" she noted with amusement.
In the two hours he was out of the infirmary, he had managed to get his black, going silver hair cut and it was now considerably shorter and gelled, looking more ordered than John's but still unruly, even by Ancient standards.
"Yes. You're expedition has many talents" he said and gestured for her to come in.
"How are you feeling?" she asked, sitting on one of the chairs and he sat opposite to her.
"I feel fine. Dr. Beckett did recommend that if I felt ill then I should go to him straight away, however I have felt nothing" he said and Elizabeth smiled, knowing that the Scottish doctor will forever have concern, even for those he doesn't know all that well.
"He tells John and his team to do that, they never do" she said and he chuckled.
"To be honest, I am not all that surprised" he said.
"Oh, I almost forgot. I came to bring you this" she said, holding out the pendant and his eyes shot up, he was unaware that the pendant had even left his neck. "We had to take it off and put it somewhere safe. We're still setting up and things can get lost like that" she said and he took it with a smile.
"Thank you, Elizabeth" he said and his gaze seemed to sadden. "Did she suffer?" he asked.
"No, she didn't" Elizabeth said, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder. "How long had you known her... me?" she asked.
"Since she... you first arrived" he explained. "I was one of the healers assigned to you" he added and she nodded.
"Did you see Major Sheppard or Dr. Zelenka? They weren't..." she let it hang.
"I saw them. They looked peaceful, Elizabeth, as though they were asleep" he said reassuringly.
"This is so weird. I'm in the present and I'm worrying about how everyone's alternate selves were" she said and he gave a small smile. "Just like she said, I'm always worrying" she said with a fond smile.
"It's natural to worry about what might have been. However, what might have been isn't and whilst we worry about that, there really is no need. Everyone in this city is safe, or as safe as you can get in this Galaxy" he said, his smile reassuring.
"Sheppard told you?" she asked.
"About the Wraith? Yes" was the simple answer.
"It's only our first year and we've managed to create a massive problem for the Galaxy" she said.
"Elizabeth, so long as Atlantis floats on these oceans, there will always be hope for this galaxy. Besides you have a living, breathing Lantean here to help you" he said, gesturing to himself proudly. "And the Wraith were a massive problem before, it's just they have woken early and their vicious cycle continues and despite the fact that it is tragic, that's the way it's always been, or so the Major tells me" he added.
"I suppose so" she said.
"Good" he said simply.
"I'd best make a move. I've still got a lot of paperwork to do" she said and he saw her out.
He turned back to his room and walked over to a wall, a glass screen like the ones in Central Control lowered, a small file on there. He wanted to make a difference, not only for the people now inhabiting this city, but for the whole galaxy as well, and now was the time to start.