Chapter 3

Disclaimer: Oh, I want to, but I don't own anything!

Author's note: Apologies! But my computer just hasn't been working lately so I couldn't update. But I have been writing so there should be lots coming very soon!

Plane somewhere

"O'Neill." Ska'ara smiled in greeting.

John stared between the two of them, confused. "I'm sorry, who?" he turned to Jack.

"Ska'ara, this is Ska'ara. Very good friend of mine and ascended… being." Jack trailed off, looking at John, then at Ska'ara, then at himself "Holy–"

"We're… we're… ascended?" John choked.

Ska'ara grimanced, then nodded slightly "Yes, you are both part ascended."

"How?" Jack asked as John ran his hands through his hair "Wait. Part? How only part?"

"We do not know O'Neill."

"You don't know?" Both military men asked, astounded, at the same time.

"How do you not know? You're, well, you're you!" Jack cried desperately.

"Not all answers are available to us O'Neill, especially with events that are still, or yet to be, in motion."

"And that means what exactly?" John asked angrily.

Ska'ara turned to face John "I do not know your name." he stated.

"Ska'ara this is Major John Sheppard." Jack said.

"Alright, enough of this." He continued after a moment's silence with John staring at Ska'ara. "Ska'ara, help me up."

"O'Neill I would not recommend-"

"Help me up."

Ska'ara submitted and pulled Jack to his feet.

"Now help Sheppard up." Jack ordered once he'd regaind his balance.

Ska'ara did so.

"Now tell us exactly what happened and how we can fix it."

Ska'ara sighed "O'Neill I do not think it can be –"

"Yes it can," Jack interrupted "It always can." He added softly.

Ska'ara took a deep breath. "It began many years ago when one of the ascended ancients was still living. He had just lost his lover and decided to find a way that ancients could live forever, where they would not have to deal with losing people: family, friends, loved ones."

"Is he the one who captured that energy thing for research?" John asked "It's on Atlantis." He added at Jack's look.

"No. That being was caught many years later when the ancients decided to follow Celegorn's idea and evolve to a higher plane of exsistance."

"Celegorn?" Jack asked.

"The Ancient who created the devices you touched," Ska'ara said "he developed and engineered the devices so that Ancients can transform their into the energy that would allow them to travel between planes and realities whilst living forever."

"Why?" Jack asked.

"He did it for love." Ska'ara stated simply.

Jack and John nodded, both understanding.

There was a moment's silence before John spoke up "So we're not really ascended?"

Jack turned to say something to him when Ska'ara spoke up "Yes."

Jack spun round "What?"

"The Ancients developed ascension after Celegorn made the devices," John said "You said they did. So, what? Celegorn had the idea, the other ancients disapproved, he did anyway, a long while later they thought 'hey he was right!' and made ascension?"

Ska'ara stood silently, then nodded his head slowly.

"I don't believe this!" Jack shouted.

"The Ancients never intended for the devices to be found," Ska'ara said "They were in the process of hiding and disabling them when their enemy attacked."

"The wraith." John said.

"Who?" Jack asked.

"Evil guys," John answered "So what? They just forgot?"

"Yes. They believed that Celegorn's devices couldn't be activated unless by an Ancient of considerable power. Since all the ancients knew about them, they deemed it an unnecessary waste of time to deactivate them. It was unfortunate that the only two humans capable of doing so did activate them. However it does mean you have the chance to return to your former state of being."

"How?" John asked suddenly "How is that a good thing? And how can we go back?"

"Celegorn's devices were not perfect, he had to rush their completion," Ska'ara explained "There are eight devices and they are powered from the same power source, although we are not sure how that is possible. When two of the devices were used together their power was compromised."

"They short-circuited." John said simply at Jack's look.

"Indeed." Jack said, trying – and failing – to imitate Teal'c. John just gave him a weird look.

"It means however that the devices did not work properly," Ska'ara continued "instead of transforming your bodies and consciousness, your being, into energy it just separated your consciousness and transformed that into energy."

"Which means that our bodies are still on… well, where we left them." Jack said.

"Can we get back into our bodies?" John asked skeptically.

"Yes However –"

"Y'Know I'm really beginning to hate it when you say 'however'." John said.

Jack glared at him, than turned to face Ska'ara "Actually, I agree."

"There is a time limit O'neill, as to how long your consciousness can be separated from your body. And as you are already ascended, in a way, we cannot give you the option to ascend fully."

"Meaning you can't help us." John said, sighing.

"No but we can allow you to help yourselves."

Ska'ara was met by two blank stares at his statement.

"We can allow you to travel between the different planes of exsistence and go to your worlds. You may also, granted you can find a way, communicate with your friends."

"You mean we're not stuck in this place?" Jack asked.

"Yes O'Neill."

"I want to be in Atlantis." John said quietly, to himself.

Suddenly Jack and John were surrounded by a bright light and the next thing they knew, McKay was standing in front of them, explaining his theory of how the device worked to Elizabeth Weir.

"Whoa!"

"I don't… I don't believe this!" John said to himself, staring at the two people in front of him.

"Are we… we where I think we are?" Jack asked.

John suddenly grinned, turning to Jack "General," he said "Welcome to Atlantis."

"Cool."

Sorry again! My computer is being fixed! I hope you liked it and there'll be lots coming very soon (lots and lots of McWeir, Sheyla and Sam/Jack) ;)