Debbie418uk2 – As I said, my all time favorite scene was the John and Rodney pier scene in The Shrine. :) My all time most hated episode was Ghost in the Machine. :( This is another one of my older chapters, so I'm posting it early. It's not one of my favorites, but… (Shrugs) It's a chapter.

Sherry57 – I'm glad you enjoyed it :) I loved that Shrine scene, too. I had to watch it over and over again, because the friendship between them was just so beautiful there. Thank you :)

E. Nagrom – Glad you enjoyed it, and I put a spoiler alert in the chapter for future readers, just so they knew there were some spoilers in it. :)

Here's the early update (that's the bonus to having tons of chapters completed and waiting to be posted :D). This is another of my older ones, that is also not the greatest. (I like to save the better for last, so all my better chapters are yet to come, LOL)

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(Atlantis Infirmary, Normal POV)

Carson rushed in as Ronon carefully placed John on the bed. Everyone was covered in cuts and scrapes, but none seemed badly hurt. John Sheppard was unconscious. Teyla supported Rodney, as he limped into the room, assuring Carson that it was only a sprained ankle.

"What the hell happened?!"

Shaking her head, Teyla sighed. "The new lab that opened up from the previously flooded section of Atlantis, was booby-trapped. The moment we opened the door, it exploded. Colonel Sheppard took a hit by a piece of flying debris." She pointed to the injury on his head.

Taking a quick look, Carson nodded and shone a pen light at the wound. "I'll need to clean it, bit it doesn't look too deep. He'll have a nasty bruise, though."

With a nod, Teyla left Rodney on a nearby table and left the room, making her way to the control room to alert Elizabeth to what happened. It didn't take her long to find their commanding officer. She was already on her way to the infirmary.

"Elizabeth."

"I already heard John was in the infirmary. What happened??"

"The lab was booby-trapped. It exploded the moment the door was opened."

Frowning, Elizabeth nodded as the two girls changed course and headed back to the infirmary. "Booby-trapped?!"

Teyla nodded and opened her mouth to say something, but just then both their ear pieces buzzed, and Carson's voice came over them.

"Teyla? Elizabeth? I need you both in the infirmary, stat."

The grim, confused tone in his voice made both girls exchange a worried look before nodding and heading quickly the rest of the way to the infirmary, almost rushing into the room to find John sitting up and looking around in confusion.

"Hi?"

"John." Letting the relief flow through her, Elizabeth smiled. "How are you feeling?"

His confused look didn't fade as he stared cluelessly at her. "Uhm…"

"That's why I called you." Carson walked over to a screen showing the results of a brain scan. "There was some residual damage due to the knock to the head he took when he was thrown across the hallway from the blast." Pointing to an area of the scan, Carson frowned. "See the swelling? It's putting pressure on his brain, and though it isn't enough to endanger his life, it has effectively erased his memory. Or rather, it's blocking his mind from bringing memories to the surface."

"He's basically amnesiac." Rodney put in as his jaw dropped.

"What?" Elizabeth looked at the others in shock, as if she somehow thought she was imagining things. "Are you serious? Is… Is it permanent?"

"Hello. I'm right here."

"It's only temporary. Once the swelling goes down, I expect his memories will come back."

"You 'expect'?"

"There's no guarantee."

Frowning, Elizabeth nodded. "Is he alright, though?"

John raised an eyebrow, trying to ignore how these people were talking over him, as if he wasn't even there. "Other than not knowing you, or what happened and why my head hurts-"

"Actually, yes. As long as he takes it easy, I don't see any problem with him having visitors. I just don't want him walking around or exerting himself."

Everyone turned back to John, who looked lost and beyond uncomfortable with all the attention. He looked well enough, other than the cut on his cheek and bandage across his forehead. It was hard to believe he had no memory of any of them.

(A Little Later)

"So I'm the Colonel of an 'alien' base?" John's eyes were wide. "And I go on missions to alien worlds…?" He turned to Teyla and Ronon pointing from one to the other. "So…you guys are…part of my team, and…aliens??" He shook his head and smirked a little. "Ok, ok. I get it. It's pick on the amnesia guy, right? Come on, I really wanna know what it is I've forgotten."

Teyla and Ronon exchanged looks, knowing there was really only one way to prove about alien worlds, and Carson had forbidden gate travel until John got his memories back. It wouldn't do to go to a world and get attacked by Wraith, with an amnesiac and kind of helpless John with them. They also knew that there was really no way of them proving they were aliens, so they stayed quiet about that.

"Ok, look. Do you remember being fed on by a half-wraith and almost turned into an Iratus bug?" Rodney tried, recalling one of the moments John hated the most. "Or… Oh, how about when my sister came by and staid my real name?" He grimaced a little, knowing this was one of John's favorite moments.

Frowning for a moment, John looked at him. "First of all, what the hell is a 'wraith', or this bug-thing? Second, I thought you said your name was 'Rodney McKay'? What else is there?"

"'Rodney's his middle name." Ronon put in with a smirk.

"Don't go there." Rodney almost growled.

"His real name's 'Meredith'."

"Hey! I thought I told you not to go there!"

John couldn't help but laugh. "Meredith?!" Suddenly, he frowned and his eyes narrowed.

Flashback

He saw an image of the two of them lying in the infirmary. Rodney was working on his computer tablet, which John had the feeling was normal, and talking really loudly. There was some sort of damage to their hearing, for some reason. He remembered seeing Rodney talking loudly, and he was talking to Rodney, trying to get his attention. When he realized Rodney wasn't listening, he frowned, tried again, and got the same result.

Finally, as a last result he said 'Whatever you say….Meredith'.

More images followed, of a blonde woman calling Rodney 'Mer'. It was his sister... Joanne? Jessica? Jean-Jeanie! Jeanie Miller. That's right.

Then there were images of weird people in robes, the sun being too close for comfort, weird people with long white hair and fish-like faces...

End Flashback

"John? John!"

Jumping a little, John winced as a headache hit him, and groaned a little. "Ow! Not so loud!"

"I am sorry. Did you remember something?"

He opened his mouth to say something, then realized that no one knew about that. Teyla and Ronon hadn't been there, and Rodney couldn't hear him. Well, about the 'Meredith' thing, the rest of it he really didn't know what to make of, so he wasn't sure if he should mention it. "Yeah, but it's personal." He finally stated with a wince.

"Oh, right. We really don't wanna know then. Knowing you, it's one of your Kirk affairs with some alien 'babe'." Rodney rolled his eyes, and pouted, still upset about Ronon giving away his real name.

"'Kirk affairs'?" John's eyes narrowed. "Why do I get the feeling I don't even wanna know what that's all about?"

"Probably because you really don't."

Nodding, John sighed and winced again. "Do you know if I can get any aspirin, or something? My head's killing me."

Teyla nodded and got up, heading away from the bed to a part of the infirmary John couldn't see. After a moment, she came back with aspirin and a bottle of water.

"You know, this really sucks." John took the aspirin and water, and sighed in relief once he took them, knowing it was only a matter of time before they would take effect. "Thanks." Frowning, he made a face and looked around the infirmary. "It's just, not being able to remember anything. You say I'm the leader of the lead off world expedition team from an off world, alien city called Atlantis. You…" He pointed to Teyla and Ronon. "Are supposed to be aliens. This is all just way too far fetched for me. I wish I knew what to believe!"

Everyone looked at each other, not really knowing what to say or do.

(Later)

"Teyla! Ronon! Rodney!"

Jumping from their sleeping states, the three team members jumped to their feet and looked around. Carson and Elizabeth were standing in the room looking clearly upset. The bed was empty and the sheets rumpled.

"John! Where is he?!" Teyla's eyes had gone wide with worry.

"You don't know??" Looking to Carson, Elizabeth took a deep breath. "How is his condition, doctor?"

"Stable. The swelling's gone down well. As long as he doesn't take another hit to the head, he should be fine." Tapping on his radio, Carson ordered two teams of marines to set up a search for the Colonel, telling them to be careful as he's injured. "His memories might have come back in bits and pieces, and if I'm right, he's likely very confused."

With concerned looks, the remainder of Team Sheppard, along with Elizabeth and Carson, split up and searched Atlantis for the runaway Colonel.

No one knew how long they'd been searching. Ronon and Teyla took the east side, with a team of marines. Lorne helped Elizabeth on the west side, with their own team. Carson kept an eye on the infirmary and the immediate area, and Zelenka ran around to the labs, informing people of the situation.

Surprisingly, it was Rodney who found John. He was standing on one of the more secluded north piers, staring out over Atlantis with a look of confusion and pain across his face. He wasn't in scrubs anymore, which made Rodney realize he must have gone back to his room to change. It gave him hope that Sheppard was indeed remembering things.

"It's so weird. I remember….shooting a man, because some weird white haired thing was…feeding? on him." Frowning, John looked over his shoulder. "And you had to remind me about the bug thing, thanks." That, of course, was sarcasm. "I also remember losing Aiden, and how Ronon got captured by the Wraith." His eyes turned pained. "I shot him, too, and you."

Rodney opened his mouth to say something, but saw the rigid way John was holding on to the railing in front of him, and closed his mouth again, biting back the sarcastic comment he was going to make.

"I tried to hurt Elizabeth, when I was transforming, oh, and let's not even go into the whole being possessed by warring lovers and shooting me people, again, bit." Frowning, John stared at Rodney. "Have I always caused so much trouble?!"

Yes! Again Rodney's sarcastic nature wanted to step up, but seeing the unusual vulnerability in John's eyes, he paused. Thinking for a moment, he shook his head and swallowed heavily. "No. You've also saved a lot of lives, done really brave things, and made tons of friends."

"Friends I tried to kill, no doubt."

"Nope, that's just us." Grinning a little Rodney sighed. "We're the lucky ones, I guess."

"Oh, yeah. So lucky." John was clearly distracted. "I believe it now. All of it. The alien lives, the alien city..." He raised an eyebrow and gestured to the view of Atlantis from where they stood. "Being part of an elite 'Stargate' team. It's so much to take in." He winced and put a hand to his head.

"Uh, maybe we should get you back to the infirmary." Rodney took a couple steps closer.

"No!" Shaking his head, John backed up against the railing. "Look, it's all really confusing. I'm sick of staying there! I need time to sort through all this, but I don't wanna be stuck with all these people coming in and out of my room at all times!"

Pursing his lips, he tried to think of something that would get John to listen to him. "Hum, not even the cute little nurses?"

Now John raised an eyebrow and seemed to think about it for a moment before a pained look crossed his eyes and he rubbed at the bridge of his nose. "Not even for the nurses."

"Ok, I'll talk to Carson. Look, you were healing up nicely there. I'm sure he'll see no reason not to let you go to your room, as long as you take it easy."

"Really?"

With a nod, Rodney smiled and held out his hand. "Come on, let's go talk to him. I'll put in a good word, ok?"

(Infirmary, the Next Day)

Sitting on one of the beds, John grimaced as Carson shone a light into his eyes. "Wow, I really caused all that trouble?"

"You were confused, lad. I'm just glad you're better. You're remembering everything?"

"The time to myself really helped. It was all really confusing, for a while. All I could think about was all the weird aliens and monsters, and almost being turned into a bug, and shooting and hurting my own people, and watching helplessly-"

"Alright." Cutting him off, Carson sighed and patted his arm. "Listen, I want you to take it easy and consider seeing Kate Heightmeyer." Seeing John's coming protest, his eyes narrowed. "You're the C.O. of the base, and as such, you're carrying a lot of burdens on your shoulders. This just served to bring up a lotta old pains. I want you to talk to Kate about it. If nothing else, talking might help you figure more stuff out."

John paused, not liking the idea of visiting the psychiatrist, but also knowing Carson was right. Plus, knowing him, if John didn't agree, Carson would find another way to make him go. "Fine."

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Hope you like it.

R+R please.

Thank you

Tenshi