A/N: So its the final chapter of my first "episode". Hope you guys like it.

Thanks to all who have read and reviewed my work, I appreciate it immensely.

Chapter Seven: Departure

Take off had proceeded smoothly and Atlantis was now several hours into its journey back to Pegasus. The atmosphere had lifted noticeably since their departure from the solar system, no doubt as a result of the reduced stress now that everything was up and running. And even more unusually, was on schedule. Whilst Sheppard and Woolsey were locked in various meetings with the different department heads, the rest of the expedition continued about the business of ensuring Atlantis was ready to resume its role as soon as it reached Pegasus.

Sheppard had left Major Lorne and Ronon in charge of the security drills to bring both civilian and military personnel up to his demanding standards regarding the safeguarding of Atlantis. McKay and Zelenka were busy monitoring Carson's condition in the chair to ensure nothing went wrong. Teyla felt somewhat useless, not needing to brush up on security procedures nor much help monitoring Doctor Beckett. And with Kanaan still barely speaking to her, the options appeared limited. She decided to take Torren to the mess hall in the hopes of bumping into a familiar face.

Sure enough, she entered the mess to find Doctor Keller sitting by herself, engrossed in something on her tablet. After grabbing a cup of coffee, Teyla made her way cautiously towards the doctor, unsure of whether she was open to company. After a few seconds standing unnoticed at the table's edge, she finally spoke.

"Is this seat taken Doctor Keller?" she enquired politely, waking Keller from the semi-trance she appeared to be in whilst reading.

"No...no not at all. Please, sit" she offered genuinely as Teyla slipped effortlessly into the vacant chair opposite her.

And just like that, Atlantis began to feel like home once more for both of them. A warm comfort encompassed them both as they caught up with the events of the past few months, detailing the highs and lows they had both endured. As they spoke, Torren had apparently grown bored of the conversation and drifted off into a peaceful slumber, adrift in a world of his own. Teyla inwardly marvelled at her son's ability to find peace in any situation.

"Anyway, how are you finding being back on Atlantis? Is Kanaan looking forward to returning home?" asked Keller innocently.

"It feels like seeing an old friend after many years apart, it is a most welcome feeling. As for Kanaan, he and I are not really talking at the moment."

"And why not?"

"It is...complicated. How about yourself and Doctor McKay?" asked Teyla, expertly changing the subject.

"Well...I guess that's complicated too" Keller laughed sadly.

"Perhaps we should direct the conversation in another direction then?" said Teyla with just a hint of a smile on her face.

"A great idea" said Keller, the relief prevalent in her voice.

- - SGA - -

Kanaan wandered the corridors of the Ancestor's city, mulling over everything that had happened over the past few days. He and Teyla had practically ignored each other and he inwardly chastises himself for his part in the conflict between them. He had never wanted them to pull away from each other over such an issue but neither would he lie about what he truly desired from this relationship. And thus he was in a dilemma that had occupied his mind for days; should he relent and accept the relationship as it is or should he continue to push for the Ritual of Joining to be undertaken?

He continued on his direction-less journey, cordially greeting the various people whom he passed along the way. Though he knew very few of them personally, he nevertheless felt a degree of civility and comfort in their presence. Or perhaps it was his presence within Atlantis that gave him such feelings of warmth. His musing were interrupted when he discovered he had been walking for so long than he had lost track of his position. Looking around for familiar landmarks, he caught a flash of movement out of the corner of his eye.

Calling out in the hope that someone would answer and be able to guide him back to familiar ground, he was disappointed when his calls were met with only silence. Moving cautiously towards where he thought the movement had come from, he found the area deserted, populated only by storage containers. That's when he saw it, attached to the wall beside him, though he dared not believe his eyes. A bomb?

- - SGA - -

After what seemed like an eternity in Woolsey's office meeting with the various department heads on board Atlantis, Colonel Sheppard was looking forward to spending a relaxing night back in his quarters. But as always, fate intervened to prevent him from having any time to himself. Major Andrews emerged from the operations room wearing a look of veiled confusion, as if he'd just been asked the meaning of life by a bulldog.

"Something on your mind Major?" asked Sheppard, drawing the attention of Andrews.

"Well, I'm not sure sir. We've detected a strange energy reading coming from one of the storage areas. I was just about to hit the sack when I got the message..." replied Andrews.

Sheppard got the hint in Andrews voice. He had to admit, he was a little more than curious as to why a weird energy reading was coming from a seemingly unimportant area of the city.

"Don't worry Major, I'll handle it. You head off for some shut-eye. The way you look, you need all the beauty sleep you can get" said Sheppard jokingly.

Andrews nodded in thanks and raced off before Sheppard had a chance to reconsider. Sheppard felt the need for an extra body to assist in the investigation. And he knew just the guy.

"Rodney, this is Sheppard. We've detected an unusual energy reading in one of the storage areas, I'm heading down to check it out. I could use the company"

"Can't it wait, I'm kind of busy here?" replied Rodney frustratedly

"Negative. Meet me near the jumper bay and we'll head out from there."

"Alright alright, I'll be there in ten" said Rodney, once again not contesting Sheppard's orders.

The two men arrived at the jumper bay almost simultaneously and made their way towards the storage area in question. Having been locked in a meeting for the past few hours, Sheppard requested a status update from his eminent colleague and was relieved by Rodney's assertion that they should reach Pegasus a full day or so ahead of the countdown. Finally something was going their way.

"I'm detecting the energy signal dead ahead" said Rodney after checking his datapad.

"Okay, you stay here and I'll go have a look see" replied Sheppard, careful to keep Rodney out of danger if possible. Something which Rodney readily appreciated.

Sheppard approached cautiously, not knowing exactly what he would find up ahead of him. The sound of a storage container hitting the floor focused Sheppard attention as he neared the signal, his P-90 now raised and ready to fire.

The room appeared empty upon first glance, save for the multitude of containers and boxes that were supposed to be there. It was only on closer inspection that he finally saw him, crouching behind the cover of the storage containers.

"Kanaan?" he asked, puzzled as to what he was doing there.

"Sheppard, you must go!" replied Kanaan frantically as his eyes glanced towards the far wall and the source of his panic.

Sheppard eyes had barely followed to where Kanaan was looking when the timer on the device hit zero and the split-second calm was shattered by the terrifying sounds and sights of an explosion tearing through the storage bay.

Rodney watched in horror as a wall of flames emerged up ahead of him, smoke following quickly behind as the corridor because hazy and noxious. Fear and panic took hold of him and he had to fight his natural instinct to run, instead focusing on the explosion that had engulfed his friend.

"Sheppard?" he called weakly over the comm. "SHEPPARD!" this time shouting as loudly as he could.

But the only response he received was static...

The End...

...Of Part One