This is the end! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing and actually finishing it.

Also, I've never really understood why the creatures manifested in a human's chest when they were ingested. So for all intents and purposes, the aliens incubate in the stomach before attempting to leave through the esophagus. From there, they decide that bursting through the chest would be so much more fun. That's how it's going to be so just accept it. ;)

Also, for some reason Rodney really likes Canadian bacon. lol I don't know why but it was in chapter eight as well. I guess he's just patriotic. XD

Disclaimer: I don't own nothin'.

Epilogue

It was dark but he could hear the noises around him. A rhythmic beeping came from somewhere nearby and hushed whispering even further away. It smelled sterile and he suddenly became aware of a pinching feeling in his arm but more importantly an oddly hollow sensation in his stomach area.

He slowly opened his eyes, the world a mess of blurry outlines. He unconsciously let out a groan and immediately the atmosphere changed. Two blurry figures suddenly appeared in his line of vision.

He flinched when a beam of light was forced into his line of sight. "Are ye' alright?"

Rodney blinked numbly, his mind flashing back to memories that weren't real. Was this real? "Carson?"

"Ay', it's me lad." The light disappeared along with the fuzzy outline. "How are ye' feeling?"

Rodney quickly surveyed the room and quickly spotted John sitting on one of the stools near him. He had what looked to be a cut on his cheek and had an overall haggard appearance about him.

"Uh, what happened?" His voice was hoarse and it was hard to force the words out. Carson seemed to notice this and disappeared only to come back with some water.

Rodney gratefully took it, watching John and waiting for any signs of it being an illusion.

"You tried to get a pet," John said, grinning lightly but looked more relieved than anything else. "If you wanted one so bad we could've gotten you one of those harmless little critters from the mainland."

The water was soothing on his aching throat. "How did we get out?" he asked more to himself. The last bit was a blur. The only thing he remembered for certain was seeing a rather huge creature blocking their path and Johns' suicidal idea to run past it.

"Major Lorne came back for us en masse," John replied. "Good thing too 'cause we wouldn't have made it the way those things were coming out of the wood work."

"Huh."

"We notified Carson ahead of time so when we made it through the 'Gate he was ready for you."

"Ay' and it was a good thing a was too." Carson took the water away. "We heard about those things from one of Lornes' team. A already had an idea of how to remove it."

"You removed it?" Rodney asked incredulously.

"Ay' a did. It took quite a while but we managed to safely get it out and John was nice enough to get rid of it."

"Apparently," John leaned forward, looking unnaturally excited about this next part, "they had to take a chunk of your stomach out."

Rodney froze. "What? What do you mean they took my stomach out?"

"Calm down before ye' hurt yourself," Carson interjected before sending a glare at John. "Only a part of it. Ye' will be just fine. Ye' will just have to cut back on how much ye' eat."

"Yeah, you're going to have to eat healthy." John was giving him a pitying look. "I know how hard that will be for you."

Rodney glared at him, sulking in his bed. "Har-har Sheppard. I'm hypoglycemic! Remember? What happens if I can't eat?"

"Quit being such a drama queen." John grinned, ignoring Rodney's squawk of protest. "You can eat all you want. You just need to eat a bunch of little meals."

Carson hummed. "It shouldn't be too much of a change in habit. Nothing to worry about."

"Says you," Rodney grumbled, ignoring the smiles and grins the two exchanged. "So Teyla and Ronon are alright?"

John turned back to his friend. "Yeah, they got a clean bill of health. And you'll be happy to know that M5S-687 has officially been black-listed from our database."

"Good," Rodney huffed, leaning back lightly and enjoying the small comfort of a bed with no aliens in sight. "Did the scientists manage to save any of their data?"

John rolled his eyes. "Yes and no you can't look at it."

"But-but! That's not fair! You can sneak it in, I know you can."

"Yeah, but I'm not going to. You need your rest."

"I can get my rest and look at what they discovered."

"No, I don't think so. I think if I did something like that I would get murdered in myself."

"Who's being murdered?" came a soft question from beyond the white curtain.

Rodney jumped slightly at the sudden appearance of Teyla and Ronon but quickly zeroed in on the plate Ronon was carrying. It held blue jello on it.

Rodney couldn't help the sudden hunger the gnawed at him. Frankly, he wanted something in his throat that wasn't tubes or alien bits. "Is that for me?" he asked hopefully.

Ronon grunted in acknowledgment and handed the cup to Rodney who greedily took it. "Ronon, you are my new best friend."

"Hey!" John cried out. "No fair."

"Not taking it back."

"Well maybe I don't want it if it can be bought so easily with food."

Rodney stuck his tongue out at John before putting a spoonful of the delightful mass in his mouth.

Teyla took a step forward, a smile upon her lips. "I am glad you are up Rodney."

"Mm. Me too." Another spoonful. "Frankly, it's a miracle we all made it out," he commented between bites.

"Speaking of miracles." John leaned forward. "We're having pizza night tonight and we're having Canadian bacon."

Rodneys' eyes widened, blue jello forgotten. "What? We finally got the bacon?"

"Not bacon. Canadian bacon."

Teyla tilted her head slightly to the side. "Is there a difference?"

"Is there a difference?" Rodney squawked. "Is there a difference? Canadian bacon is far superior to its' counterpart. I suppose that's just because Canadians' do it better."

John rolled his eyes. "Of course with their Mounties, hockey, and mighty political power."

Rodney glared and jabbed his finger at him. "At least we have Mounties. National treasures they are. And even you watch hockey."

John waved his hand at Rodney with dismissal.

"Would you like me to bring you a piece then?" Teyla queried, confused at the interaction and unfamiliar words.

Rodney lit up. It didn't last long, however, as John quickly spoke up. "Rodney's on a liquid diet." He eyed the food in his friend's hand. "Jello is the exception."

Rodney glowered angrily. "Not fair. The one time we get Canadian bacon and I can't have any."

"We could always put it in a blender." John grinned widely. "A pizza slushy. Doesn't that just sound delicious?"

Rodney glared at him. "Teyla, you have my permission to hit him."

"Teyla isn't going to hit me," John replied with a roll of his eyes. He was surprised, however, to see Teyla giving him an appraising look. "Teyla isn't going hit me." More silence. "Right?"

"Not unless you get me some pizza," Rodney declared. "Minus the slushy part."

"Fine," John huffed. "I'll try to sneak one in. No promises though."

"And that scientific data," Rodney continued.

"Nope. I don't think so."

"Ronon?" Rodney tried.

"That's just not fair." John frowned. "Just because you're injured doesn't mean you can boss us around."

"Well I think that it means just that." Rodney crossed his arms.

Carson stepped back into the room with a frown on his face. "Ye' aren't going to be looking at any data until ye' are discharged. And no solid foods."

Rodney spluttered indignantly.

"And that's final." A smile. "A on the other hand would very much like a piece if ye' wouldn't mind bringing some back."

"No problem doc," John grinned. "We'll bring back a whole pizza back for you."

"I better be allowed to have a piece," Rodney said grumpily, looking hopefully at Carson.

"Don't worry lad, a will let you have some." Carson paused for dramatic effect. "A have always wanted to make a pizza slushy."

Rodney gaped in horror.

John grinned, putting his hands behind his head and leaning back. Yeah. Everything was right in the world.

The End.