CHAPTER 72 – EQUILIBRIUM

"Sheppard! We need to get moving. Get that bomb back through here."

Ronon's voice barely registered with John. He felt only the hard ground beneath him and the woman in his arms and saw her blue eyes as they gazed at him. Felt love wash over him and through him.

"Colonel Sheppard? Ronon is correct. We cannot stay here. Others will come soon and it will not be safe. Bring Gina to the portal then we can finish what we started. What they started."

It was Teyla's calm voice that finally registered and dragging his eyes from Gina, he helped her stand, keeping his arms firmly around her and anchored to his side. She clutched at his tactical vest and he noted that she no longer wore hers. It had obviously been removed by whoever had captured her. He didn't try and loosen her grip, understood why she needed to hang on the way she did and felt that same possessive need.

He nodded at Teyla and Ronon to let them know that he was good to go and turned his attention back to Lorne, eyes flickering once to the man who for all intents and purposes – looked like Dr Carson Beckett.

"Kill him."

Lorne's eyes opened in surprise and Gina finally found her voice. "No John. He was helping me escape. This Carson is the same as our Carson - please, he didn't do anything wrong."

He framed her face with his hands, aware that Carson was looking at him with understanding in his eyes and this gave him reason to rethink his decision. "Do you know what he did with the children Gina? Are you aware of the experimentation?"

"I know John - it was deplorable, but Carson? He at least made sure that they had someone to come to when it got too much. He was their anchor, and never in agreement with what they did. You have to understand that, and forgive him for his part. Second chances John... we're all entitled to them. You know that as much as anyone."

"Damn it!" He dropped his hands from her face and ran one down his face, feeling the rasp of his facial hair. He grimaced. Well overdue for a shave. His forehead reached down so that it rested against hers gently and he said softly. "What do we do with him Gina? How do we make the distinction? I know that there are many in this dimension who are innocent, but I need to punish those who aren't. Can you understand that?"

"Oh God John... I just want to go home... be with you. I want this over. I want them punished too, but perhaps we can help them, rather than destroy. Please? Give me a chance to discuss something with Sam. Carson?"

She turned to the doctor whose eyes remained sympathetic and calm, in the face of his possible death. "Yes Gina, what do you want to do?"

"Can you go back and talk to the others. Talk to Samantha Carter and your government. Tell them I will help them, we will help them - not in the way they want me to - but another way. We'll work on a way to get their gene, a good way - one that does not necessitate taking my baby."

She heard John's intake of breath and saw the same reaction in the others. John's voice was soft and she knew that the anger had gone. "Why would you do this for them Gina? They tried to take our baby - why help them?"

She leaned her cheek against his chest, secure against him. "Because, John. It is the right thing to do. There are other ways, than violence and force. You think like a soldier..."

"And you think like a woman... a mother... protect rather than destroy."

She saw the flash of something in Major Lorne's eyes and saw that he had reconciled his feelings towards her and her smile that she sent in his direction told him that she understood. He was able to smile back and nod his head slightly, a silent message that he would be her friend for life.

"A mother... maybe it clouds my feelings. I'm also mindful of two IOA babysitters who await our arrival back in Atlantis and who are looking to you for a good result in this mission.." Her voice held a hint of teasing now, incongruous in the wake of all they had gone through, but necessary and he took that as his cue to nod instructions to his team who awaited him.

"Let's go home people. Carson? Take your message back to your people. Tell them you owe Gina here for your lives and if you ever try anything like this again - there will be no mercy another time. I am not quite as forgiving as this woman here, but I can see her point of view and I'd like to try it her way this time. Trust, Carson - seems to be one thing lacking on this side of the portal. Perhaps you all need to take a good hard look at your lives and what exactly is missing from it. I'll wager, it's more than just an ancient gene. But we'll give you that, if we can - and perhaps you'll be able to move on and change some of the things that you want to change."

Carson stood staring after this little group as they moved off toward the portal. The strong airforce Colonel, so similar to his old friend who he had lost and he blinked back tears, wishing that things could have been different. For all of them. And watched as he held tight to a woman who was his world, just as the Gina of this dimension had been the soulmate of his John. Some things were destined to cross dimensions. Some things were just meant to be. He stared curiously at Ronon and Teyla - they did not have counterparts in his dimension and wondered at the circumstances that had led them to become involved with this group. His last thought before he turned to head to the stargate that would take him back to his Atlantis, was of the baby inside Gina - his Carlie. He missed her, felt her absence keenly and wondered if the people who seemed to pull the strings in their dimension, the ascended ancients - would somehow allow her to come back to this dimension if he could make things right.

Sam was waiting for them when they returned and John looked up to the control room to see her looking down at them, face relieved, a small smile playing around her lips. Beside her stood the two IOA men, their somber expressions not readable and John recalled Gina's comments about them watching the fallout from this mission closely. It made sense. A lot had happened in the past month, most of which had serious implications back on earth in their timeline and in a prior timeline and short of pulling the plug on the Atlantis mission, it was likely the president himself was getting some flack on this one. John fought down laughter that threatened to break through. Perhaps the president would grace them with his presence one day in Atlantis, see how the field half lived. See how the other galaxy lived. Easy to make decisions from a comfortable chair in an even more comfortable office, surrounded by people whose only desire was to please you and spin a not so outlandish tale to the American public. His own mission reports could do with the touch of his spin doctors, Gina was honest to the point where perhaps dishonesty would have been more acceptable and it was likely that her mission reports - signed off in his name of course - had brought the wrath of the government down on them.

Ronon, Teyla, Major Lorne and the marines dispersed quickly - food and showers being the order of the day, but not before hearing Sam's stern order that a debrief would commence first thing in the morning. John and Gina simply stood there, in the gate room. Arms wrapped around each other, Gina with her head resting on John's chest - too weary to move. Carson hovered uncertainly in the background. He would normally have stepped in and whisked her away to the infirmary, knew that with the trauma of the past few hours she should really have a check up - but he saw their need to be together and decided that she looked no more the worse for wear than any of the others.

"John. Gina." Sam walked down the stairs, waiting until the room was cleared and the marines who kept the gateroom secured had stood down. "No doubt there is a good reason why the naquita bomb still stands expectantly at the back of the gate room. Hmmm?"

She looked over Gina's head at John, and he shook his slightly. Not really wanting to go into it right now.

"Seems we have a diplomat in the making Sam." He flicked his eyes downward indicating Gina. "Offered them a solution. Round table discussion. Help."

Sam's eyebrows raised expectantly. "Can't wait to read the next episode Colonel. Not really what we agreed on or discussed?"

"FYI Sam - that discussion - was between Lorne and you. I was trapped in a damn cage. Though for the record? I would have gone for the bomb. Seems someone thinks we need to offer them assistance rather than annihilation... said like that, it does make sense. Tomorrow Sam. Will explain it all tomorrow. I think for tonight we're safe - I'm hoping our little friend on the inside will get them to halt retaliation long enough for us to try and come up with a rescue package for them. Tomorrow. After tonight..." He yawned widely, his jaw cracking and saw the smile on Sam's face.

"Seems like one of you is ready for bed and the other already there..."

And looking down at the dark head that rested on his chest, he saw her eyes were closed, lashes resting on pale cheeks. Sound asleep. And life had suddenly never felt so good.