"Secrets and Challenges"
Ch. 21
(Infirmary)
When Stacey woke up she found herself on one of the Infirmary bed, surrounded by Elizabeth, John, Carson, Rodney, and Teyla.
"What in the hell happened?" Stacey asked as she sat up.
"I was gonna ask you the same thing," John asked.
"Come here. Maybe this will help you jog your memory," Carson offered his hand.
Stacey took it. Carson and John helped Stacey stand up and walk over to the nearest computer monitor. Carson pressed a few keys on the computer and an image of Stacey in the holding cell popped up. She looked at the images very carefully. Stacey's stomach began to squirm and she began to feel queasy. She groaned loudly.
"How are you feeling?" Carson asked.
"I'll be fine. It's just the morning sickness," Stacey said.
"Can you remember anything?" Weir asked.
"Unfortunately," she answered as she sat back down. "Look, can John and I talk for a moment?"
"Sure," Weir said.
Weir, Teyla, and Carson left. Rodney stayed.
"Alone, Rodney," Stacey told him.
"Right, of course. Sorry," he followed Elizabeth, Teyla and Carson out.
"Why do I have the feeling this isn't going to be a pleasant conversation?" John asked as he sat next to his wife.
Stacey glanced over to John and frowned slightly.
"I'm sorry," she said quietly.
"What for?" he asked.
"I let Nemesia take over the fetus,"
"What?"
"There wasn't any other choice," Stacey said.
"There was the Fight-Nemesia-till-she-looses-and-just-let-her-conscience-die route," John did his best to stay calm.
"I couldn't just do that!" Stacey said.
John hoped up off the bed angrily.
"She told me that the only thing left in the baby will be the knowledge of the Ancients," she told him.
"How do you know that she didn't lie to you?" John asked, his temper rising.
"Because she wasn't just in my mind, I was in hers too!" Stacey shouted. She was now off the bed and staring him right in the face. "She was going to kill the baby, John!" she bellowed. Stacey then turned her heel and walked out of the Infirmary, bumping John on the shoulder as she left.
"Stacey!" John called out.
He ran out of the Infirmary, following her. Weir, Carson and McKay were waiting outside in the corridor. They glanced at Stacey's shrinking figure and then at John. Sheppard sighed deeply. He was never going to catch her.
(Ext. Atlantis, Balcony)
Stacey Grayson stood against the balcony railing. She was on the verge of tears. Stacey was feral: strong, independent, and almost never showed their emotions. But, she often found herself in the predicament of her human side getting in the way.
Ever since Allison was born she found herself showing her emotion, less independent and weak at times; or at least that what she felt. This was one of those times. Stacey clenched the six pointed star necklace in her hands. She slipped the necklace into her pocket.
Using her feral senses she smelled someone familiar.
"It's alright, Carson. It's not you I'm mad at," she said.
She heard the door shut and felt Carson come closer until he stood next to her. Stacey turned to face him.
"How are you feeling, Stacey?" he asked.
"Are you here asking me that as my doctor or a friend?" Stacey asked.
"A friend who happens to be your physician," Carson answered.
Stacey smiled slightly and then went on to answer his question, "Besides the usual symptoms that would go with a pregnancy, I'm fine. Why?"
"I was just curious. You've been awfully quiet these past few days, that's all," he said.
"I'm fine," she repeated.
"Major Sheppard does love you, Stace," Carson told her. "He's been beating himself up over the way he acted." He looked over at her. "You should go and talk to him."
"I probably should. But, I won't," Stacey admitted.
"Because the two of you are so stubborn, you're willing to never speak to your husband again?" he asked, trying to be reasonable.
"No, of course not. But . . . ."
"But, what?"
"But . . ." Stacey paused for a moment. "Where is he now?"
"In that bloody secret lab of yours with Rodney," he said.
Stacey hugged Carson.
"Thank you," she whispered before she left.
(Int, Atlantis, Secret Lab)
"Rodney, John," Stacey greeted the two.
They seemed to be the only ones in there at the moment. Stacey faked a cough.
"Rodney, can John and I talk alone?" she asked.
"Sure, I need to go see Zelanka about, something," Rodney said, slowly as he exited the lab.
Once Rodney left he closed the door behind them. When he did a female, Nemesia's, voice spoke. Stacey's eyes began to widen. John looked at her for a translation.
"What's she saying?" he asked.
"Rodney must have tricked Atlantis into putting this section of the city on some kind of Lockdown," Stacey stepped over to the door and tried to use the pendant to open it.
She looked over to John helplessly.
"Anything?" he asked.
She shook her head and put it back in her pocket. John turned on his radio.
"Rodney, open the damn door now!" he said into it furiously.
"Sorry, Major, I can't," Rodney's voice echoed calmly.
"You two are not getting out until you settle this," Elizabeth's voice said.
Stacey and John both cursed.
To be continued . . .
(A/N: I'm not sure when I'll get the next chapter up. I'll be at the PasadenaCon all day Sunday and getting ready for it (putting the finishing touches on my outfit, getting money our of the bank, getting my chores done, etc) all this week.)