Author's Note: So we're getting to the meat of the story now. Before was just entree... soup i think. But tasty soup, I think...

Um, okay, sorry, I'm tired... enjoy your steak!

Chapter 7

Sheppard woke with a start, heart pounding as he bolted upright, trying to take in his surroundings, the noises, the white walls, while at the same time memories of a conversation in his head by two people he didn't know came flooding back.

A hand touched his shoulder and he jumped, looking over, forgetting about his memory for a second as he looked up at a nurse in her blue uniform. And he frowned. "Why am I in hospital?"

It wasn't what he wanted to ask, but he let her push him back down until he was laying. He looked into her gentle eyes, and shook his head. "What happened?"

"Perhaps I should let the doctor explain," she told him smoothly, her words clearly expressed. "Please, be calm, and I will go to get him."

He took a deep breath, and continued staring up at her. She gave a nod, and turned to go, and before he could stop himself, he had reached out to grab her.

"I know you?"

He meant it as a statement, but it came out as a question. She smiled, and nodded. "You have seen me before. You have been in and out of consciousness so often these past three days, you should remember me, John."

He let her go, wondering if that was it, and then promptly forgot about it as the doctor came in, quickly followed, and almost pushed aside by Dave.

"John, thank God you're awake."

Dave rushed instantly to his side, while the doctor was somewhat more dignified about it. John looked between the two and frowned. "What happened?"

"I came home and found you unconscious," Dave explained before the doctor could say a word. "Scared the living daylights out of me."

That wasn't what he remembered, and he frowned. "Was that before or after our conversation about whether or not I was crazy?" he asked before he could stop himself.

Dave shared a look with the doctor. "What are you talking about? We've never talked about that."

John just stared at him. "Yes. Yes we did." He had not imagined it. You came home, I was freaking out on the couch..." The heart monitor started beeping faster. "We talked, I... It was real!"

"John-."

"You were probably hallucinating," the doctor suddenly interrupted, his voice stern. "That would not be out of the questions, all things considered. You have not been taking care of yourself, Detective Sheppard."

John looked up at him. "I haven't?" He thought he had been. Then again, he had thought he was crazy. Hadn't he? He rubbed his face, trying to ignore the flashes of a different place, and two arguing men.

"No, you haven't, and considering the terrible ordeal you went through, it was incredibly stupid of you."

John's jaw dropped, and he looked up. "I didn't think doctors could call patients stupid."

"In this case, I think I can," the man told him sternly. "You were dehydrated, exhausted, your iron levels were low... hell, everything was low."

"I felt... fine," he answered, thinking back. To be honest, he hadn't really listened to what his body was telling him. But he didn't say that. "So... that's making me... No. No! It was real, and this..." He gave a half-hearted scream, rubbed his face. "I just... It can't have been a hallucination!"

"I can assure you, you are sane, Detective," the doctor told him. "All your brain scans came back clear. It may even have been a dream. You fainted, after all."

"Not fainted," John muttered before he could help himself. He shook his head again. "It felt so real... It was real. I know it!"

"And does this feel real?" the doctor demanded, sharing another worried look with a white-faced Dave. "Detective, you just went through a terrible ordeal, I shouldn't –."

"I know, I know, it was a terrible ordeal, that's what everyone keeps telling me." He scowled and shook his head. "But... can't you understand? This doesn't feel real!" He gripped his sheets hard. "I don't know... Something is very wrong, and I don't know if it's with me, or with this world!" He felt his heart rate rising. "We had that conversation, Dave! I know we did, and then the world blinked. Just... I need you to stop lying!" He was shouting now, sitting up, getting closer, and the two men were backing away. "Tell me! I know... there are things! Dammit, Dave!"

The doctor was backing away, headed for the nurse approaching him. John didn't hear what they said, but Dave tried to come closer, eyes wide, hands up in surrender.

"John, please... calm down. I assure you this is real. This is real! I'm real, and you're real, and this world is real!"

"And Atlantis?"

Dave shared a frantic look with the doctor. "That is not. Trust me -."

"NO!" John screamed, finally losing it. "Atlantis is real! I swear to God it's real!"

"Then what is it?" Dave demanded, becoming angry. "Because I've never heard of it!"

"I don't..." John felt sick, rubbed his face, his hair. "I don't know... But I know it's real. I've heard it singing to me!"

Suddenly the doctor was by his side, and John didn't even know how. "No!" he shouted again, shoving the man away. But it was too late. "No..." He fell back onto the bed, felt his eyes getting heavier. And he found he didn't care. Because he knew. He knew Atlantis existed.

And then all he knew was black.

The sun shone high overhead, its light dancing on the surface of the ocean below, and making the buildings of a floating city shimmer. In one tower, two people, a man and a woman, circled each other, bantos rods held ready, eyes focused on each other with a steeled determination.

Without saying a word, Ronon rushed at Teyla, eyes angry, hands tight around his weapons. He attacked with the full force of his ability, but where before Teyla had only just kept up with such a fierce attack, now she blocked easily, knowing where his blows would fall, and knowing how to counter them. And like so often in the past two weeks, within minutes, Ronon was on the mat with a bantos rod at his throat.

He gave a growl, and Teyla backed away, spinning the rods. But Ronon had had enough. He chucked the two sticks away and got to his feet, marching from the room. All without saying a word.

Teyla caught up with him in seconds, hurriedly shoving the weapons into her bag. "Ronon," she tried, only to be cut off by a growl.

"Don't try that, Teyla," he warned. "I'm not in the mood today."

"If I was in any danger of your mood, I would not be talking to you at all," she told him with some shrewd amusement. "However you are so distracted today that you could not land a blow at all."

He stopped suddenly, turning to face her, his face tight. "No. I need to be distracted. Because all I can think about is..."

He trailed off, spinning and raising a hand as if he was going to hit the wall. But he didn't, which Teyla took as a good sign. He spun back to face her.

"It's been two weeks, Teyla. And still, there's no sign, no reports. He just... just vanished."

He started walking again, and Teyla sighed before hurrying to catch up. "We must have faith, Ronon," she told him gently, and he growled again, moving faster until she almost had to jog to keep up.

"In what?" he demanded, throwing her an angry glare. "In the Ancestors? If they were watching, they wouldn't have let him be taken at all. In McKay? He just sits in his room, he's afraid to go anywhere near his lab because he feels guilty about what happened! No. I'm done with faith."

"Well, what about faith in us," she tried, catching his arm to stop him. "We're never going to stop looking." Her gaze softened, and she grabbed his other forearm. "What about faith in him. He will not give up. We must not either."

Ronon gently removed her hands from his arms. "And what if he's dead?" he demanded in a harsh whisper. "What then?"

Teyla nodded, taking a deep breath. "We cannot believe that. We will keep trying. McKay is desperate to find him, and he is not afraid. He will be back in his lab when Dr Keller tells him he is allowed."

Ronon couldn't help but snort. "A month ago, he would have been in that lab, injuries and Keller be damned."

Teyla couldn't deny that. She just sighed, and nodded. "Give him time, Ronon. He went through a great deal of suffering."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Ronon told her before he could stop himself. He looked away. "McKay went through all that in one day... what has Sheppard gone through in two weeks?"

To that the Athosian had no answer, and the two stared at each other for a moment, not even dropping their gaze.

In the end, sirens interrupted them, and they both looked around, before running towards the control room. Maybe this time...

The gate was open and the shield was up when they arrived, but Woolsey and Major Lorne were standing before a blank screen, obviously waiting for something, and not someone. That something turned out to be Ronon and Teyla, judging by the way the two men turned around and beckoned them over.

"It's M3X-762," Lorne told them. "Joral is sending through both audio and visual, but we wanted to wait for you both until we answered, seeing as how it's your team that has had the most contact with his people."

Teyla nodded, and Woolsey turned to Chuck. "Open up a channel."

The screen flickered once, and then a face stared at them, grey and wrinkled, but warm enough. Teyla smiled. "Joral, it is wonderful to see you again. Are you well?"

"I am, thank you Teyla," the man answered, before frowning and glancing behind him. "However, I have a guest here who does not want us to talk small."

Lorne frowned. "What guest would that be?"

Joral shook his head. "He arrived through the Portal barely ten minutes ago, seeking allies of Atlantis." He looked behind him again, and they all guessed he was looking at said man. "He claims... he claims he has knowledge of your missing man."

"He what?" Lorne demanded, putting his hands on his hips. Teyla and Ronon just shared a look, wondering if they dared to hope. "What else has he said?"

"Very little," Joral answered with a shake of his head. "But then, I have not given him the chance. I heard Atlantis and missing man, and I contacted you immediately."

"Joral, we will be coming to talk to this man," Woolsey told the alien leader. "Please, make sure he does not leave."

"Of course," Joral nodded. "I await your arrival, Atlantis."

The screen went blank, and Woolsey turned to the other three. "Be ready to go in ten minutes. And I want Dr McKay here, now."

When John woke, it was to a frantic mind, a fast heart and an empty hospital room.

He sat upright, taking deep breaths, looking around. The place was quiet. Too quiet for his liking. He wondered how much time had passed since the doctor had drugged him. Not that he felt like he had been drugged. He felt aware.

And he was aware he wasn't sticking around here.

Glancing out into the hall, and finding it deserted as well, he pulled the IV from his hand, and the leads off his chest, wincing as he did so. But he was out of them, and after quickly switching off the machine making loud noises, he tiptoed over to the cupboard. He heaved a sigh of relief as he found his own clothes, and quickly dressed. He had to get out of here, before the doctor, or Dave, got back.

He wasn't really sure where he was headed once he got out of the hospital, but he heaved a sigh of relief once he left the car park in his dust. He had to go somewhere. Anywhere. But where? To who? Who would believe him, that something in his world wasn't right? Who would believe him that Dave was not who he said he was? Shaking his head, he broke into a jog. Before he knew it, he was running, and he let his fast feet take him where they pleased.

He wasn't really surprised when he ended up at the police station.

He walked in fast, and nodded at the guys on the front desk, ignoring their frowns. He knew he looked pale, and dusty, and sweaty. But he had to talk to Carter. Carter would believe him. He had to.

He went up the stairs, and down the corridor, struggling to remember from the last time he had been here. He walked fast, panting a little now, his body not used to exercise. But he slammed open the doors and looked around the room.

He ignored all the stares of his workmates. He felt nauseas as he realised he could only place half of them, if that, and began to wonder if he had really done the right thing in coming here.

But the thought fled from his head as he spotted Carter and marched over. "We need to talk."

Carter didn't say a word as John dragged him towards his office, shutting the door hard behind them. Only then did the detective shrug out of Sheppard's grip, and turn to face him with an anxious look.

"Sheppard, what's wrong? You look like shit?"

John shook his head. "Something's wrong," he told his friend. "I mean... really wrong?"

"What?" Carter demanded, needing to know the facts. "John, you need to explain it to me."

"That's just it!" John snapped, closing the blinds. He didn't want any of them to see him. "I can't. I don't know what it is. Just... everything's wrong. With Dave, with his place, with the hospital! With everything!"

He felt dizzy. He took a deep breath and groaned, leaning down on a chair. The world was spinning around him.

"Where the hell is Vaiko!"

John flinched at the shout, and looked up at Carter, wondering why the man had shouted. "Who the hell is Vaiko?" No, he remembered that name. He stood up straight, frowning. "Who is he, Carter?"

"What?" the detective demanded. "I have no idea... John, I think you should sit down."

"No." He said it coldly, ice in his voice. "No. I really don't think so. What I need is answers."

"Answers to what?" Carter cried, spreading his arms. "You haven't asked me any questions!"

Hadn't he? "Atlantis," he breathed. "What did you find out -."

"Someone better find that scientist or there will be hell to pay!"

The voice cut him off, but Carter hadn't noticed. Hadn't heard it. Was the voice in his head again? He felt the colour drain from his face as the older detective sighed and shook his head.

"John, I told you. There is no such thing as Atlantis."

No. "No!" John shook his head, backing away. "I know there is. I know it!" He paused, and suddenly it hit him. "You're lying to me too. You're not... none of this is real!"

Carter's jaw dropped. "What?" he snorted. "None of this is... John, trust me. This is real. You're just sick. You need help." He stepped forward, hand out.

John backed away again, slapping the offer away. "No. No!" He swallowed, looking around. Was any of this real? Was it all a lie? Was he awake, or was his real body in the world of shouts, and a scientist named Vaiko?

"Somebody stabilise him now!"

The shout echoed in his ears, so loud he tried to shut it out, but he couldn't. The voice reverberated around his head, and when he could finally look up, eyes watering, Carter was by his side, hand on his back.

"John, listen to me, you need... John? Please, calm down. You're stressing yourself out."

Skin crawling, Sheppard stood up straight and pushed the older man away, moving quickly to put the desk between them. "No. I'm not listening to you. You and Dave... what are you doing to me?"

"John, please." Carter tried it in a soothing voice, but Sheppard wasn't having any of it. "Just, take a breath, okay?"

"No!" he snapped, looking around. "What's... what the hell is going on?"

He was dizzy again. So dizzy he leaned over, hands on knees, gasping for breath. Something was wrong. Something was not right. Carter was yelling at him, calling his name, but the words sounded muffled in his ears. A hand on his back made him flinch.

"NO!"

This time John screamed it, unable to take it anymore. He stood up, shoving the dizziness away and yanking Carter's gun from his holster.

Carter went tense as he found his own gun pointed at his head.

"John, what are you doing?" he asked quietly, putting his hands up. "Think about what you're doing?"

"No," John heaved, panting deeply, unable to catch his breath. A knock came at the door, and then it rattled as someone tried to get in. "Because if I think, it all goes away. It's so hard, Carter. I know things, I know I do." The rattling at the door became more insistent. "But they're tiny fragments at the edge of my mind. And if I lose myself for a second, I can see them. But the moment I concentrate, the moment this world pulls me away from my own mind... it's gone, as if it were never there, just back to tiny fragments."

The whole door shook fiercely, and John knew he didn't have much time. He looked from the door back to Carter, who had gone pale. John, on the other hand, suddenly felt much calmer than he had since he had since Dave had taken him home.

"But I know. None of this is real." He cocked the gun, took a deep breath, head up high, dizziness threatening to overwhelm him. "And I'll prove it to you."

And he pulled the trigger.

Huh... Didn't see that coming...

See you tomorrow night!