HALF-LIVES

CHAPTER 9

At first, Sheppard thought the banging noise he heard when he first woke up was his headache. But then, he heard Ronon's voice calling his name, and he sat up carefully in his bed.

"I'm coming!" He shouted back, as he eased himself into a standing position and hopped on his good leg over to the door. He pressed the "unlock" button beside the door, and the moment it slid open, Teyla and Ronon burst through the open space.

"Whoa, guys," Sheppard said, hopping aside to prevent himself from being trampled. "Calm down!"

"Why was your door locked?" Ronon asked as he checked the room for anyone hiding inside.

Sheppard watched him, confused, and replied, "I didn't want anyone coming in. That's what a lock is for."

"So you are all right?" Teyla asked, and he nodded.

"Of course." Then, he stared into her eyes. "Teyla, what the hell is going on here?"

Satisfied that Sheppard's quarters were secure, Ronon came back over to them and leaned his arm against the wall. "Teyla thinks that your headaches aren't just headaches…or... something." He shrugged, still not understanding it himself.

"What?" Sheppard asked, rubbing his eyes with the fingers of one hand. "Teyla, care to explain?"

Suddenly feeling foolish for being so worried, Teyla took a deep breath and began. "I was telling Ronon that your headaches were becoming worse, when a thought came to me."

She glanced up at him, and he nodded for her to continue.

"What if there is still an alien presence here, and it is continuing to influence you, not through dreams, but by giving you a migraine? It would weaken you much more quickly."

Sheppard sighed and limped over to his bed, sinking down onto the edge. "The migraine is from the drugs Keller's been pumping into me for my leg." Then, he eyed her curiously. "And what makes you think that one of those energy beings is still here?"

She winced slightly, and explained, "Rodney and I were talking – "

"He told you?!" He interrupted her, and she nodded. "Oh, that just figures!"

"The point is," she continued, before he could become any angrier, "I think you may have been right. And I think it has become determined to seek justice against you for sending the others to the ocean floor."

Sheppard glanced from her to Ronon, who simply stood where he was, silent as usual. Then, he rubbed his hand through his hair and asked, "So now what?"

Teyla shot a worried glance over at Ronon before replying, "I think you should go see Dr. Keller, to rule out any alien influence."

Sheppard stared at her for a moment. "Teyla," he warned, "you know how I feel about being in the infirmary for more than five minutes."

She said nothing, but the look she gave told him she wouldn't take "no" for an answer.

"Fine," he finally conceded. "But if she comes anywhere near me with a needle, I'm gonna go homicidal."

He started for the door, alternating between hopping and limping, but Ronon stopped him with a hand on his arm.

"You might wanna take those," he said, pointing to the crutches Teyla had retrieved and now held out to him.

Sheppard rolled his eyes, but took them from her and situated them under his arms. "Y'know," he said as he swung out the door, "this really sucks."

Teyla and Ronon grinned at each other.

"Could be worse," Ronon said, still smiling. "You could be in the wheelchair."

"Hey, Doc," Ronon called as they entered the infirmary, "got a patient for you."

Jennifer Keller came out of her office and looked quizzically at the trio who stood before her. "Colonel Sheppard? You weren't due for a check-up on your leg for…"

"It's not my leg, Doc," Sheppard grumbled, adjusting himself on his crutches. "It's my head."

Still puzzled, Jennifer looked at Teyla, who explained the situation as briefly as she could.

"So, you want me to do some tests, and see if there's anything that could be causing the Colonel's migraine, right?" She asked, and Teyla nodded.

Jennifer sighed. She knew all too well how much Sheppard hated this particular room, as well as the various tests the SGA teams had to go through every time they came back from a mission. He would not be an easy patient, for sure.

"Okay," she finally said. "Why don't you get him situated on a bed, and I'll get some of my equipment."

"Take your time," Sheppard replied with a humorless grin, and she returned the smile before she left to gather her necessary tools.

When he was sitting as comfortably as possible on a freshly sheeted bed with his legs hanging off the end, Sheppard muttered something under his breath. Ronon had apparently heard what he said; his thick eyebrows raised at least an inch higher, and an amused smile played across his lips.

Aloud, Sheppard muttered, "This is probably an insane waste of time, you know."

Teyla crossed her arms over her chest and took a step forward. "You are being extremely childish about this, Colonel."

The frustration he was feeling started to move more towards anger, and he snapped at her. "And everyone else is treating me like a damn lab rat!"

She jumped slightly, and Ronon instinctively came to stand beside her. Realizing how he'd sounded, Sheppard took a breath and continued in a lower voice, "I have a headache, that's all. I'm sure in a few days, it'll go away, and everything will be fine."

"You have had a constant headache for nearly two weeks, and it has gotten only worse. There may be something very wrong."

"I've had a constant headache before, Teyla," he reminded her, but she shook her head.

"Not like this."

"And how would you know? I don't really go around publicizing my aches and pains."

"He's got a point," Ronon put in, then wisely fell silent when she glared at him.

She turned back to Sheppard and placed her hand over his. "If nothing else, do this for me. You did promise – "

Sheppard's temper boiled over, and he pulled his hand away from hers as if he'd touched a burning coal. "Don't you dare pull a guilt trip on me, Teyla! Yes, I promised to take care of you, and Torren, too. But you, of all people, should know that I can't even protect myself, much less anyone else!"

She started to speak, but he held up his hand, and she closed her mouth.

"Don't…do…it. Look, I agreed to get checked out for you, but that doesn't mean I have to like it."

Jennifer had heard the argument, and though her heart pounded wildly in her chest at the anger in Sheppard's voice, she forced herself to walk calmly to the group and set down her instruments.

"I'm ready," she said, cursing the slight squeak in her voice when she spoke.

As soon as Jennifer had reached them, Teyla turned and rushed out of the infirmary, not stopping even when Sheppard called after her. Ronon glared at Sheppard, but said nothing.

"Look," Sheppard began, but Ronon just shrugged.

"You don't have to say anything to me. I hate it in here almost as much as you do. You were a little harsh on her, though."

"Could you please roll up your sleeve, Colonel?" Keller interjected, and he complied while still staring at Ronon.

"I know," Sheppard said, "and I'll apologize. But she can't hold that promise over my head every time something comes up. It isn't fair."

"Seems like you both have some intense expectations," Ronon muttered, moving aside to let Jennifer have better access to Sheppard's right side.

"What are you talking about? Hey, that's cold!" he yelped, as Jennifer placed her stethoscope against his chest under his shirt.

"Sorry," she replied, though she really wasn't. She was more than a little upset with him for losing his temper like that. Teyla just wanted to make sure he was okay; it was what friends did. Jennifer only wished more people were like that.

"All I'm saying," Ronon continued, "is that she expects you to be a part of her life, now that…well, you know…" he cast a sideways glance at Keller, hoping she wasn't paying too much attention, "and you expect her to just leave you alone, even when it's obvious that you need her."

"I don't want her to leave me alone," Sheppard said. "I just don't want her hovering over me all the time."

Ronon shook his head. "You've never been one for a serious relationship. I get that. But Teyla's just looking out for her son. Now that Kanaan is gone…"

Yeah, I get it," Sheppard said, interrupting him. "As soon as I'm done in here, I'll go find her."

Sheppard hardly complained as Jennifer performed the rest of her tests on him, and as soon as she said he could go, he grabbed his hated crutches and followed Ronon out of the infirmary, toward the crew quarters.

"What is it, Colonel Sheppard?" Teyla asked him as he stood outside her door. He noticed the coldness in her voice as she used his formal title, and it nearly took the air out of him. She was already in her sleeping clothes, and she glanced behind her in a silent warning to him that Torren was sleeping. When she turned back to him, he noticed that her eyes were slightly puffy and reddened from crying. It made him feel even worse than he already did, though he supposed he fully deserved to feel that way.

"I, uh," he stammered, then collected himself, "I came to apologize."

She stared silently at him for a moment. Then, she replied, "There is nothing to apologize for. You were right; I should not have brought up your promise to Kanaan."

He shrugged, still feeling awkward standing there. Finally, he said, "Look, Teyla, my leg is really killing me…"

She nodded once, obviously still angry at him, but moved to the side in an invitation for him to enter. He made his way into the room, and managed to get himself to the couch and sit down in only a few seconds. She waited until the door had slid closed before moving across the room and sitting at the other end of the couch. She folded her hands in her lap, and simply watched him, unsure of what else there was to say.

Sheppard was the first to speak again. "I shouldn't have lost my temper like that. The fact is, I'm not used to this whole thing. I mean, ever since my ex-wife, I…"

Teyla held up a hand, and he fell silent, waiting for her to speak.

"If you really wish to have a relationship with me – "

"And I do," he interrupted.

" – then you cannot only say that you love me. You must also show me."

"I know. But you have to understand that things are gonna happen, and I can't protect you all the time."

"I understand, and I am sorry," she replied.

He edged closer to her and put his arm around her, pulling her to him. "I'm sorry, too."

She looked up into his eyes, and her own filled with tears. "I forgive you, John," she whispered.

"Good," he murmured, before lowering his head to gently brush his lips against hers. Though pain still bounced around in his skull, he ignored it and hugged her tighter to himself, deepening the kiss until they could hardly breathe. Teyla slid her hands up his back to his shoulders, her nails lightly digging into his shirt, and let his tongue explore her mouth, playfully twining with hers for a moment before pulling back.

Sheppard felt Teyla relaxing against him more every second, and he smiled against her mouth. He tangled his hands in her thick hair, delighting in the flowery scent of her skin, in the way her breathing became ragged. At that moment, he wanted nothing more than to stay there, with the knowledge that she loved him more than anyone ever had in his life, and that he felt the same fierce love for her inside himself.

When they finally pulled away from each other, he gazed into her dark eyes before kissing her once more, quickly.

"I believe we just had our first fight," she said in a low voice, her eyebrow quirked at him.

"And our first make-up," he replied, smiling in his usual, boyish way.

"I don't suppose there are any Earth customs about romance that you would care to show me," she mused playfully. Sheppard's grin grew even wider, becoming almost wolfish.

"I can think of a few," he said, as he pulled her down on top of him and began to kiss her again.

Carter sat at the head of the conference table, watching the group of people around her. Ronon was slouched in his seat, as usual, his long legs crossed at the ankles. Though Carter couldn't really read his expression, he seemed calm enough, even a little bored. He had never been one for sitting around and planning anything – he much rather preferred action.

Colonel Sheppard had his chin resting on his arms, which were folded on the table. His eyes were open, looking around the room as Carter was, but his brow was still creased slightly in pain. Carter felt bad for him; it must be horrible having to be a team leader while having to deal with a major, unrelenting headache. Teyla was seated beside him, her hand gently rubbing his back in slow, soothing circles. Though her face was serious, her eyes were bright with happiness; no doubt it has something do to with Sheppard, Carter mused. She knew that look all too well.

Dr. Keller sat beside Ronon, a laptop situated on the table in front of her. She was reading something on the screen, and seemed to be in deep thought as she pressed a key to change the image before her. Carter noticed that every so often, Ronon glanced at Keller out of the corner of his eye, then quickly flicked them away to stare at something else. Carter smiled. She knew that look, too.

Rodney McKay finally hurried into the room and took the empty chair between Ronon and Sheppard, and placed his laptop on the table in front of him. When he looked up, he noticed everyone looking at him, and his eyes shifted around nervously.

"Um, sorry I'm late. I was going over some last-minute calculations, and I lost track of time. Then I had to go back to my room to get something, and…"

Carter interrupted him. "Rodney! It's okay. Let's just start."

"Oh. Okay, then."

Carter sighed, and turned to Keller. "Have Colonel Sheppard's results come back?"

Keller looked down at her screen and nodded. "Yes, about an hour ago. I found no enlarged blood vessels, no tumors – thankfully – and no blood clots. In a word, nothing. In my professional opinion, there are no internal symptoms to show that he's even having a migraine. if I didn't see the effects these headaches have been having on him, I wouldn't believe he had them at all." She looked at Carter, her expression almost apologetic. Then, she seemed to remember something, and added, "The nausea and vomiting the Colonel has been experiencing is most likely caused by either the headaches themselves, or by his sensitivity to the pain meds. Or both."

"So that rules out any medical reason for the migraines," Carter replied, suddenly feeling a headache of her own coming on. "But my question is, how exactly this creature is influencing him, without having taken control of his mind?"

Keller shrugged. "Maybe they don't need to be close to the person to do it. As long as a link has been established some way, it's all they need to continue wearing that person down."

"I still don't understand how one of the beings managed to escape the storage device," Sheppard said, slowly sitting up straight in his chair. "I felt all the energy around me being sucked into it, and once I shut the door, the…" he stopped to search for a word, "…prickly feeling was gone."

Carter shrugged. "Maybe one of them was far enough away from the device that it didn't get trapped in the energy stream." She looked at Rodney, who cocked his head to one side.

"It's possible, I suppose. Of course, it's just as probable that this…being, or whatever we're calling it, could've been in an entirely different part of the city."

Carter understood the implications of what he was saying, and continued the thought. "Which means, there may be more than just one still in the city."

Everyone let out a collective groan, before Rodney added, "And if that's true, then it's going to be near impossible to contain them. We don't have anything near strong enough. We also don't have any way of tracking them."

It was silent in the room for a moment, as everyone fully grasped the situation. Then, Keller sat up in her seat and quietly asked, "What about an EMF detector?"

Rodney narrowed his eyes at her. "What?"

Ronon, also unfamiliar with the term, mimicked Rodney. "Yeah, what?"

"Yeah, you know, like in those silly ghost shows they have on TV? They search for 'spirits' by using an EMF detector." Rodney did his best fish impression, trying to figure out where to start picking her idea apart, but she rushed on before he could speak. "If these beings are really made of energy, then we should be able to pick them up on one."

Rodney turned to Carter, an incredulous look on his face, and she grinned widely at him. She delighted in the fact that he was so flustered that for once, he couldn't speak.

"Okay," Sheppard interjected then, "let's say this idea is valid – and right now, it's all we've got. Do we even have one of these detectors?"

Keller nodded enthusiastically, glad that she had someone on her side, especially the Colonel. "We should, somewhere. Electricians use them for detecting hidden wires, or to test how much energy a certain item is putting out."

"Uh, one problem, Dr. Keller," Rodney finally managed, holding up a finger. "We don't have 'electricians' on Atlantis. The closest we have are 'technicians'. Nothing in the city even resembles the wiring we have on Earth, anyway, so there's no use for EMF detectors. Besides, anything even remotely related to such a device is the actual computer system itself. The computers run all the diagnostics for the entire city."

Keller leaned back, defeated, and just shrugged. "It was just an idea."

Seeing her disappointment, Teyla leaned forward and locked eyes with her across the table. "It was a good idea."

"Thanks," Keller replied, somewhat reassured.

"Wait a minute," Sheppard said, also leaning back, though his movement was more for comfort for his head, "the computers run all the diagnostics."

"I just said that!" McKay exclaimed, his expression showing that he wondered if Sheppard actually did suffer some sort of brain damage somewhere along the way.

Sheppard ignored him, and continued with his current line of thought. "So couldn't we configure the computers to sense a different energy output than Atlantis does naturally? You know, like a giant, city-wide EMF detector?"

All eyes turned to McKay, who thought intensely about his suggestion. Carter could almost see the wheels of his mind turning, and she was almost excited to hear his answer. He seemed to count off something on his fingers, touching his thumb to each one as his lips moved silently. Then, he frowned thoughtfully, and everyone held their breath, waiting.

Well, everyone but Ronon. He was becoming ever more bored with this meeting. He'd much rather be in the gym, sparring, while everyone else worked out the "technical" details. Then, when they had a plan, he'd go in and complete the mission, then go down to the mess hall and grab some food. Maybe drink a beer with Sheppard. That was what he called a good day. He nearly sighed aloud just thinking about it.

Finally, Rodney replied, "Maybe."

"Maybe?" Carter asked, becoming insanely frustrated with McKay. Although, she had to admit that it didn't usually take this long for her to get fed up with him; a few minutes with McKay could drive even the most level person mad, she thought to herself. She didn't know how any of the team – especially Sheppard – could deal with him on a daily basis. She supposed, once she thought about it, that it had something to do with the fact that he'd saved all of their asses more than a few times. It was a fact none of them really liked to admit, but a fact nonetheless.

Rodney looked almost hurt. "I say 'maybe', because it would take more than a few modifications to the sensors to do what Colonel Sheppard is suggesting. I'd have to reroute a few systems, like main power," he pointed up at the lights to emphasize, "and most of all, it's going to take some time."

Carter sighed and steepled her hands in front of her, resting her forehead against them. "How much time?" She asked him, and he rolled his eyes up toward the ceiling, no doubt performing a few calculations in his head.

"Hours. Maybe even days," he muttered, knowing he had a lot of work ahead of him and not all that eager for it.

"Rodney," Sheppard warned him.

McKay leaned back, running both hands through his short hair. Sometimes it was hard trying to explain even the most simple scientific principles to "normal" people, he thought. "Look, I told you, there's a lot of 'stuff' to do to get this working. If it even works at all."

"Colonel Sheppard might not have that long," Teyla said then, glancing at Carter, worry etched into her face. "If this creature continues to attack him…"

Carter nodded, knowing where Teyla's thoughts were headed. She had been thinking the same things for quite a while. She also knew, however, that so far this was their best hope for dealing with these entities.

"Okay," she finally said to McKay, whose eyes widened as if he'd been prepared for rejection. "Get it done as fast as you can."

"Yes. Yes, yes. Going," he replied, grabbing his laptop and hurrying from the room, with the rest of the team following closely behind him.

TBC....

Notes: Oooh, things aren't looking good for the team, especially Sheppard! By the way, everyone can draw their conclusions about what happened between Sheppard and Teyla...I'm not one for graphic love scenes, so I figured I'd leave it to the imagination...better that way, in my mind. Um...anyway...a little note about the sick-Shep scene from last chapter...I've since learned through various sources that the sewer systems/toilets, etc. might not be the same as on Earth, but it's my story, my little corner of imagination, so whatever. It doesn't really matter, but I just thought I'd point that out in case someone else brought it up.

And in case you're wondering why Sheppy hasn't been interrupting lately...I've locked him in my basement...don't worry, he's pretty comfortable down there!

And thanks for all the awesome reviews!! It makes me glad to know that my stories entertain someone other than myself. Keep 'em comin!!