This jumps back to present day. Can't completely ignore the present!

"John?"

He barely registered the annoying tapping motion affecting his shoulder.

"John!"

This time, it was a shove.

"Sheppard!"

His head instantly jolted up. "Yeah, I'm awake."

"John."

He glanced at Rodney. No wonder the jabs in his shoulder were so irritating. "What?" he snapped.

"Your … wife wants to see you?" he said, chucking a finger in the direction of the private room that Elizabeth and his child were residing in.

"Oh," was all John managed to say, shooting an apologetic glance in Rodney's direction. As he stood from the table where he'd fallen asleep, he laid a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Thanks," he murmured before he left the room and made his way back down to the infirmary.

Elizabeth was laying back on the bed, a hand resting on the small head in the crib next to her.

"Hey, how's my two favorite people doing?" John asked, a smug smile on his face as he kissed her forehead, dividing his attention between his wife and his son.

"Doing good. I asked Jennifer to run the test one more time. She confirmed there are no nanites, inactive or otherwise, in his body," she told him with a sigh of relief, moving her hand from her son's head to his tiny hands, curled up while he slept.

John was getting squirmy just standing there. "I know he's asleep and you're probably hoping he'll stay that way, but-"

"He's a sound sleeper." She grinned at him. "You can hold your son."

John chuckled, leaning across the crib carefully to pick up his son, supporting his head as he gently cradled him in his arms. He softly rocked him in his arms, silently willing his eyes to open just so he could reintroduce himself. Everything about him was perfect.

"I didn't think anything could be more beautiful than you, 'Lizbeth," he quietly reflected in wonder, memorizing every detail of his child's face as he sat down on the edge of the bed.

Elizabeth sat up a little straighter, plumping a pillow behind her back. When John looked back to her, the smile of contentment, relief, joy, pure love - it was all those things wrapped into one, and she focused that smile directly on her husband as he held their baby. Their future. Their everything.

And for the next eighteen years, the main source of migraines.

"You look perfect holding him," she observed.

He was still smiling at Jack as he heard the doors open.

Quickly looking up, he spotted Jack's new playmate in the arms of his mother.

"How is the little one?" Teyla asked , holding Torren in both arms.

John stood up from the bed, careful not to stir his son. "Doing pretty good. Hey, buddy, wanna meet your new friend?" he asked his sleeping son in a low tone as Teyla approached him, Torren's wide eyes looking over Jack.

"Torren, this is Jack. You guys get to hang out together. Your mom's gonna teach you how to beat the crap out of each other with banto sticks, and I'm gonna teach you both how to golf and fly the jumpers."

"Don't forget, and how to read Ancient," his wife chided him in a light voice. He could hear the smile as she spoke.

John turned, facing Elizabeth. "And how to read Ancient, and how to dial the 'Gate, and how to annoy McKay-"

"I am rather proud of my son," Teyla proudly said. "He already does so."

"Really?" John asked curiously, tilting his head. "And how does Torren Emmagan do that?"

"Simply by being in the same room as Rodney. I was not aware that he did not handle children very well," she said, her eyebrows arching slightly, asking the new parents for their observations.

"He seems fine around Madison, when I've seen them together," John remarked.

"Rodney was holding Jack earlier and was hesitant to give him up," Elizabeth agreed. "I don't know why he would react differently around Torren now."

Just then, Torren giggled. "Shu' up, M'Kay," he gurgled.

The two women both stared at John.

He shrugged innocently. "Why do you assume I had anything to do with that?"

The next well wisher was Major Evan Lorne.

John had fallen asleep in the chair next to his wife, but Elizabeth was fully alert, reviewing some things on her small palm computer when he heard him softly clear his throat. "Dr. Weir?"

She looked up at him. "Major," she greeted with a smile. "Come in, please."

He nodded uncertainly at her, glancing at the sleeping infant in his superior's arms. "How is he?"

"Like father, like son," she replied warily. "I have great hopes. I know his father will dash them."

"I think your son is very fortunate to have a father like Colonel Sheppard. He will always do what is best for him - for both of you, of course." His arms were behind his back, and he slowly loosened them, revealing a small wrapped object. "It's not much, but I was sitting out on the pier earlier, and I got a chance to finish this up. It helps to actually see the subject instead of painting from memory."

Elizabeth accepted the package that he handed her and cautiously unwrapped it.

The canvas underneath was small, portrait size, but the perfect image of the San Francisco Bridge arching over the Bay, including the edge of the pier railing. "To remind him about where home is, and the things we get to see from here. He might appreciate it more later, but-"

"It's beautiful, Evan," Elizabeth complimented, examining every inch of the frame. "Thank you, thank you so much. I know you must've put a lot of time and effort into this. I appreciate it know," she thanked him, giving him a gracious smile.

He nodded and smiled back. "Well, I don't wanna bother you too much longer, ma'am, but I wanted to offer my congratulations to you and Colonel Sheppard."

"Thank you again, Evan. And I'll make sure to tell John when he wakes up."

He nodded politely, then left the new family alone.

John lay his son back down in his crib, looking over at Elizabeth as she curled around one of the extra pillows laying on her bed. After Jack settled down and his father pulled the blanket over him, he turned his attentions to his wife.

Her hair was slightly matted and totally out of place. Almost little to no makeup on. The stress of the last five years - and especially the last seven hours - was beginning to appear again in spite of the matronly glow that had lit up her face ever since Jack had entered this world.

And John knew that he had never seen her more beautiful and awe-inspiring than he did at that moment.

He leaned over her, gently kissing her lips, wanting to rouse her only briefly.

"Hi," she immediately responded.

His eyes widened in a smile. "You're awake?"

"I have been. Though I almost fell asleep listening to you sing Jack to sleep."

"Yeah, I've got some practicing to do. Music seems to calm him. And guitar."

"Hmm?"

"He's gonna learn guitar, too."

"Wouldn't expect anything else," she murmured, sleep starting to stake its' claim on her.

John nodded at her in understanding. "Get some more sleep, okay? You need it. You did a great job today, 'Lizbeth."

"You did, too."

John slightly groaned in disappointment. "I'm sorry I wasn't here. I should've been, I should've told Carter-"

"John. You did the right thing. Everybody was saved. And you guaranteed that our baby will get to know both his ancestral roaming grounds. Between Earth and Atlantis, I think Jack has the opportunity to do anything he wants. Including becoming smarter than Rodney."

John laughed quietly. "You're amazing. I love you."

"I love you, too. Now get some real sleep too, okay?"

John kissed her forehead, then walked around and hopped up on the infirmary bed next to his wife.

"I meant in our quarters," she clarified.

"I'm comfy right here. I'm not goin' anywhere."

"I know. Love you."

"Love you back."

Jennifer Keller sat at her desk as a almost silent knock at her door raised her attention.

"Carson," she smiled, nodding to the chair in front of her.

"How is she?" he asked, motioning with his head to the private suite.

"Doing great. Baby Jack is awesome, no nanites on his system. Dad is good, I think he just left to get some sleep."

"Shall we check in on them, eh?"

She nodded, and quietly they made their way into the doorway.

Jennifer almost laughed at the adorable scene they found.

Jack was in his crib, his hand wrapped around his mother's finger. Elizabeth lay tranquilly in the next bed, covers drawn up to her waist. Across from her, John was sleeping on his elbow, evidently falling asleep while watching his family.

The two doctors chuckled.

"You did good, lass," Carson commended the younger doctor, placing an encouraging hand on her shoulder.

"Thanks, Carson," she replied, eyes transfixed on the scene in front of them.

He nodded and, noticing an object laying on the counter, he gingerly picked it up, then turned it on.

"Carson, that's not mine."

"I know, it belongs to John. But he's not gonna snap this himself, so…"

He zoomed in and took a picture of the three of them, all napping together in the infirmary within their city.

Carson looked at the picture as it appeared on the digital display and nodded his approval. "That'll be my present."

"You already gave her something at the baby shower," Jennifer reminded him.

"True. But when are they ever going to have another picture opportunity like that?"

TBC