A/N: We are headed through the gate in the next chapter had to get the goodbyes underway first.

Disclaimer: I don't own.

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"So I guess I'll head back to Atlantis and get the jumpers and teams ready?" John said.

"Yes, we need to be ready to go in twenty four hours." Sam replied.

"Have Radek and Daniel found anything more in the database about this planet or the device?"

"Not really, so we'll be going in somewhat blind."

John nodded both of the Colonels knew exactly what it meant to walk blindly out of a stargate.

"I guess I better go see Rodney and Jennifer then head through the gate."

"How's he doing?"

"Not good. I'm afraid he won't finish the chemo."

"Why? He's come so far. There's only what, two treatments left?"

"Yeah but Rodney isn't exactly Mr. Positive. He didn't want to do it to begin with; we sort of forced him to. I just think he's had enough."

What John didn't say was he couldn't believe how long Rodney had kept it up. John was fairly certain he would have quit after the first intrathecal treatment. He shuddered involuntarily; there was something so disturbing about shooting poison into your spine and straight to your brain that John doubted his ability to even allow one time let alone three.

Sam saw the reflex and said, "Don't worry John we'll find what we need to fix this." Her words were hollow and lacked her usual fierce confidence.

John looked at her ruefully, and simply nodded. The room fell into a pensive silence. The silence was broken by the determined, if not angry stride of Dr. Jennifer Keller.

"John, do you know what that idiot best friend of yours just said?"

Uh oh. Here it comes.

"I have a pretty good guess."

"You mean you knew about this?" her voice was becoming strident.

"Ummm Jennifer, John , please excuse me I have a few more things to clear up before we leave."

Jennifer gave Sam a terse nod and John begged her with his eyes not to leave him alone with the irate young woman. Sam walked out as quickly and quietly as possible, the sound of Jennifer's tirade echoing into the hallway. For a moment she wanted to remind the woman that it was her office but thought better of it. She didn't want to be on the other end of that scathing tongue.

She's almost as acerbic as Rodney when she wants to be. I guess I don't need to worry about her ability to handle being married to McKay.

Sam winced as she could still hear the invectives flying out of her office all the way to the elevator.

"Jennifer calm down, it's not good for the baby."

That stopped her mid epithet. "How … I mean… who?"

"Look, I'm more observant than you think. It wasn't hard to figure out."

What he didn't say was that the two other women in his life had clued him to the baby. Atlantis and Teyla. He began having dreams of a baby crying and him running throughout Atlantis to find the baby. He always found the baby in Rodney's lab, or in the infirmary. When he didn't quite get it Atlantis started singing a raucous tune every time John saw Jennifer. It was making John a little crazy and distracted, he finally asked Teyla if she'd noticed anything different about Jennifer.

"Why do you ask John?" Teyla's smile was annoyingly enigmatic and made John want to scream in frustration.

"Teyla for my sanity's sake would you just tell me?" He was completely exasperated.

Teyla thought for a moment and decided that given the circumstances she could share her hunch with John.

"Yes, John I believe there is something quite different about Jennifer. She is with child."

John felt the odd combination of elation drowned in gut wrenching sorrow. He almost lost his turkey sandwich.

"Oh damn." He whispered.

"John, is it not a joyous thing for Rodney and Jennifer?"

"No Teyla it should be, but it isn't. Rodney is dying, this is going to make him feel even more like he's abandoning Jennifer, and what about Jennifer she will have to raise their baby without it's father, everyday a reminder of what she's lost. It kind of sucks."

"I do not agree John. It may give Rodney the hope he needs to fight to live, and as for Jennifer, we all, will love this child as a part of Rodney when and if he is gone. A child is a gift whatever the circumstance, and this child is even more precious to us as Rodney's family."

John had to admit Teyla had a point but his stomach still twisted itself in knots at the thought of Rodney's reaction.

That had been three weeks ago, and he had avoided the topic for as long as humanly possible but as the time for their departure for the cloning facility drew near and Rodney's illness progressed, John knew it was a moment he couldn't run from any longer. He thought it would be Rodney he would have the conversation with but as Jennifer stood in Sam's office her face red with emotion he had to say something if for no other reason than concern for baby McKay.

"Let's just say a little birdie told me."

Yeah, a ten thousand year old flying city, birdie.

Jennifer accepted his answer, as she was far more concerned with Rodney's stupidity at the moment.

"You have to make him change his mind John, we need him." Her anger was gone and all that remained was quiet desperation.

John answered with a sigh and pulled Jennifer to him wrapping his arms around her. She had become the little sister he never had and it killed him to see her hurting so much.

"He's tired Jen, he's already done more than he wanted. Rodney sees it as pointless torture for all of us."

John felt her shoulders begin to shake, and having no words to say that would make it better, he simply stroked her hair as he held her.

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Sam stared at Rodney's sleeping form. The man who was once a force of nature was now a pale shadow of his former self. Sam felt her heart squeeze with sorrow at his weakened, and still body. She could also see his light brown hairs all over his pillow, and the faint bruising and lacerations from his head hitting the bedrails during his last seizure. Thank God they had wrapped the rails in linens to protect him from future injuries. Sam wasn't sure if she ought to be glad about that because it meant they obviously thought that Rodney would be having more seizures.

"Oh God Rodney, I am so sorry." Sam whispered, and started to walk away.

"Sam?" The voice was faint and could barely be heard over the monitors. Wiping her eyes before she turned around she came closer to the bed to hear him.

"Hey, Rodney."

"Sam, please keep an eye on my team for me." Just that much seemed to wear him out, but he kept going. "Don't let John do anything stupid and … martyrish. And Ronon too, don't let him try to kill every wraith on the planet by himself. Just blow the damn place up and get the hell out of there. Zelenka will try to talk you into exploring, please don't. It's too late for anything to save me, Ancient or not. I can't be the reason my family is destroyed." He was breathing quickly as if every word caused him pain and made him weaker, he was beginning to drift back to sleep when he opened his eyes again and took Sam's hand and said, "Promise me…" His words were but a whisper but his eyes burned into her.

"I promise Rodney."

He closed his eyes and sighed in relief.

Sam turned to find somewhere to pull herself together and practically ran into Jack standing in the doorway.

"You okay?"

"No, not really, I just want to get this mission started."

"He's right you know."

"What do you mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean."

"Enlighten me."

Jack sighed, "Come on Sam, you know full well if that were Daniel in there we would do anything, and I mean anything, to save him, even if it were the most foolish and stupid thing in the universe. McKay's team feels the same way. Hell, apparently all of Atlantis feels the same, Sheppard and Woosley have been turning down requests to join the mission for days."

"So he's right, so what? Why should I hold anyone back?"

"Because Sam, he's also right that he'll be dead before you get home."

Sam felt Jack's words like a fist to the gut, and tears sprouted in her azure eyes. She angrily pushed past Jack and went to her quarters to finish packing.

Jack watched her go, his arms aching to hold her. He knew McKay had a hold on people, somehow the man just got under your skin and into your heart. It had to be his courage and the generosity of spirit and how he tried so hard to hide himself. But mission reports don't lie and the quality of the people who loved Rodney spoke volumes about his character, more so than any of the scientist's attempts to push them away.

Don't give up yet McKay, these people are in the Hail Mary business.

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John walked into the infirmary after leaving Jennifer in Dr. Lam's office. He hoped that Dr. Lam could calm her down.

When he saw Rodney he felt the reality of this being their final moment together hit him like a wrecking ball. He suddenly couldn't breathe and tears began to fall from his eyes.

Dammit I am such a wreck; I don't want him to see me like this again.

As he wiped the offending tears away and swallowed away his despair he walked to Rodney's bedside and put on his crookedest grin when he saw the pale blue of Rodney's eyes looking up at him.

"Give it up Sheppard, you're not that good an actor."

"What are you talking about McKay? You must have hit your head pretty hard."

"You know don't you."

"Know what exactly? Pi to five hundred places, where to find the best fish tacos in San Diego, how to please a woman?" He waggled his eyebrows playfully.

Rodney gave him a wan smile. "Cut it out John, there isn't much time, you'll be leaving soon." They both ignored the fact that Rodney would be leaving soon too.

"Okay do you mean do I know Jennifer is pregnant or that you are giving up?"

Rodney's face was impassive, his jaw clenched. "Both I guess."

"Well then yeah, I know."

They were quiet again.

"Look, I need you to come back from this thing John. I need all of you to be there for Jennifer. I need you to take care of my kid… my son." His voice hitched.

"I will buddy, I promise."

"You better. No kamikaze crap do you hear me?"

John nodded.

"I need you to do a couple of things before you go, can you do that?"

"Whatever you need, I'm there."

"Thanks, I know I can count on you. I want you to have them beam Jeannie here, and I want you to find a Chaplain so I can marry Jennifer before you guys leave."

John wasn't surprised he had begged Rodney to let him tell Jeannie, and the wedding made sense too. There wasn't a lot of time and Rodney's son deserved to have married parents.

"Okay, it will take a while you rest up."

Rodney was half asleep before John walked out the door.

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"General Landry Colonel Sheppard to see you."

"Thank you Walter."

"What do you think this is about Jack?"

"Not sure."

John walked in with an unusual amount of military bearing. It didn't take a genius to figure out he was about to ask for something big.

"Take a seat Colonel."

"If it's alright with you sir I would rather stand."

"Fine son, go ahead."

John cleared his throat, "Sirs, I am here on behalf of Dr. Rodney McKay. Dr. McKay has two requests he has asked me to convey to you."

"And they are?" Jack asked with interest.

"The first request is that we have his sister Jeannie Miller beamed here to the SGC so he may say goodbye, and the second is a request for a Chaplain to marry he and Dr. Keller." John's nerves left him and he began to slouch into something resembling parade rest.

Landry looked at Jack who just shrugged in an, it's up to you, way.

"I don't see why we can't do that, Colonel."

John beamed, "Thank you sir!" He started to leave and turned back around to face the slightly bemused generals. "Uhhh one more thing, would you mind if we post pone the mission a few hours so that we can all be there?"

Jack answered quickly, "Not a problem. Now go get everything ready." Landry gave him a shocked look as Jack waved John out of there.

"Jack?"

"Sorry I just couldn't tell the kid no. His best friend is dying for God's sake."

Landry sat back and nodded.