It was three days after the Wraith attack with no sign of any other ships approaching. The Deadalus was a day away and Elizabeth was making what was becoming a daily trip to the infirmary to check on their guests. She met Carson by the door as she entered.

"How are they doing?"

"Well, Laneya is healing rather well. I think she's well enough to move around the city. The fresh air and exercise will do her a world of good."

What remained unsaid was more telling though.

"And Ro?"

Doctor Beckett sighed and looked over at the young boy's bed. He hadn't moved since he had been brought in, the soft beeping of the machines connected to him the only indication that he was still in the land of the living.

"He's still unconscious and his blood pressure is too low for my liking. I've ordered some more blood work to be sure, but he is definitely one stubborn and strong lad. He has been improving without much help from me I have tae admit. I'd expect him to wake up on his own, but I have no way of knowing if that is a matter of hours, or days." Carson turned back to look at Elizabeth again. "I have to tell you Elizabeth, you should hear the way his mother talks about him and his gifts. He's an amazing lad, who has accomplished more than most other boys his age. I don't know if the Ancients have actually had a hand in his abilities, but I can tell you this: he has the strongest expression of the ATA gene I have ever seen. My best guess is that this example of the gene is the closest to the Ancients we'll ever get. It wouldn't surprise me if it's exactly the same. I know there are rules against interference, but I think they may have had a hand in this."

"And if there isn't any intervention from the ascended?"

"Then he's a gifted boy and we're bloody lucky that we found him when we did."

Elizabeth nodded and looked towards Laneya, who was seated in a wheelchair at her son's bedside. Carson noticed where her gaze went and smiled.

"Why don't you take her for a spin? I'm sure she'd appreciate it."

Surprisingly, it didn't take much convincing for Laneya. But after hearing her reasoning Elizabeth sort of understood. When she had first woken up from surgery, Ro had told her that Caron was a healer and that she would be safe. This was reason enough for her to be trusting. As they wheeled through the corridors of Atlantis, Laneya marvelled in what she saw. Eventually, they arrived at Elizabeth's favourite balcony.

"Thank the Ancestors! It is truly a beautiful sight."

"That it is. I'm grateful every day that I'm able to study and learn about those who built it. And I'm very grateful to your son, who I'm told single-handedly saved the city."

"He is such a sweet child. But I have known for many moons that he would return to the city of the Ancestors."

Elizabeth smiled, but then realised the way that Laneya had phrased what she said.

"I'm sorry, has Ro visited the city before?"

"Forgive me Elizabeth, my words are not always precise. From the moment that the Ancestors gave him to my care, I have known that he was part of their designs. I have always hoped that he would be designed for this city as well."

"They gave him to you? You mean that he's not your natural child?" Elizabeth was a little confused now, but the old lady wasn't worried. She smiled and continued.

"It was many cycles ago. I was much younger then. I was returning home when I saw a flash in the trees. I did not know if I should call someone, but I heard a small cry from where I saw the light. It sounded like a child. It did not take me long to discover the boy, barely bigger than my knee, lying in the cold earth. I asked his name and knew that the Ancestors had entrusted me with the care of this precious child. I did not know how blessed the boy was, but his gifts became apparent with short time."

"I'm glad you adopted him. How long ago was this, if you don't mind me asking?"

"It is of no concern to me. It has been nearly twelve cycles since I met Ro. And the Ancestors have smiled on me from that day until this. I have always known that someday, he would be grown and do great things. The Ancestors have blessed him in many ways."

"From what I have seen, I have to agree. How long has he been writing the words of the Anci... Ancestors?"

"Ever since he discovered the portal, about eight cycles ago. He asked one of the masters to train him in the art of imprinting so he could record what was hidden."

"And he has been doing that for eight years?" Laneya nodded and smiled. "I have only read a fraction of what he's been able to transcribe, but there is so much knowledge there. It would take me years to read through it all."

"Ro can help you. He has been walking with the Ancestors all of his life."

Before Elizabeth could respond, a call came in on the radio.

"Doctor Weir, there's been an unscheduled gate activation, we're getting a radio signal from someone who says he has information about Doctor McKay."

"I'll be right there. I'm sorry Laneya, I'll have to take you back to the infirmary."

The return trip was rather brisk, but the older woman was patient and kind to Elizabeth's situation. Elizabeth was grateful for the transporters around the city as it put the control room less than a minute away. As she entered, she saw the stargate active, with the shield up. Running up the stairs, she saw Colonel Sheppard waiting there.

"What have they said specifically?"

"Well, he's claiming that he's escaped from the Genii with the device that McKay last worked on."

"Do we have any reason to trust him Colonel?"

"I don't trust the Genii, but if this could lead us to Rodney, we owe it to him the find out."

Elizabeth thought for a moment, then called out to the marines near the gate.

"Defence teams. If more than one person steps through that gate, shoot them."

"Why do you delay? I do not have much time before they catch up with me!"

"Let him through."

No sooner than the shield was lowered, they heard a gunshot over the radio. Elizabeth and Sheppard both looked up to see a man stumble through the event horizon, clutching a device to his chest. The man promptly collapsed on the ground.

"Shut it down. Medical team to the gateroom."

Both of them rushed down to see that the man had been shot in the chest as the stargate shut off. He looked up at Sheppard and wheezed as he spoke.

"Colonel Sheppard... I am sorry about Doctor McKay..." He started coughing, a bit of blood in his mouth. "Kolya tortured him for months... forced him to activate the device. But ..." More coughing.

"Don't try and speak."

"No, I must tell you. Doctor McKay... disappeared in a flash of light after fixing the device a week ago. He... he..." The man was struggling for breath. "I do not know how the device works. I thought you might be able to... to..." sighing his last breath, the unknown man went slack just as help arrived.

The medical team quickly began CPR, but after a few minutes gave up.

"I'm sorry Doctor Weir. Whoever shot him didn't want him to survive."

"Let's hope that some good can come of this." Elizabeth picked up the pyramid shaped device that the man had brought with him. She handed it to Sheppard. "See if Doctor Zelenka can work out what this device is and how it works. I hope this helps us find Rodney... or at least get some closure."

Sheppard nodded and raced to find the Czech scientist. Maybe some good would come of this.

A few more days passed, with Doctor Zelenka practically tearing at his hair trying to figure out the function of a device that someone literally died for. It didn't make it easier that this was the most tangible clue they had gotten thus far to McKay's disappearance. Colonel Sheppard arrived with a goofy smile on his face.

"How's it going Doc?"

"Slowly." He pushed his glasses back up his nose. "I am fairly certain that it was built by the Ancients, but I have difficult time finding in database." The Czech sighed. "McKay could find things in database faster."

"What if I gave you the next best thing?" The Czech looked up quickly at that. "Ro woke up yesterday afternoon. Doctor Beckett said that he could leave the infirmary today for a few minutes. Maybe he could help find this mystery device in the database?"

Zelenka hurriedly began to put his laptop onto a cart, along with the pyramid shaped device. "I meet you in lab with Ancient console."

Sheppard rushed out with the energy of a five year old, while Radek set everything up as carefully as he could. It did not take long due the location of the transporters, but the Colonel returned with Ro in tow as Zelenka was testing the interface between his laptop and the Ancient systems. He had to admit that he was excited at what could be found with the boys help.

"Hello Radek." The boy had a grin on his face as he looked towards the device on the trolley. "Is that the device you were talking about John?"

"That's the one." The Czech walked over.

"We had hoped that you could help locate in database."

Ro crouched down next to the device, staring at it intently. "This device... I feel like I have seen it."

"In a dream?" Sheppard asked. The boy nodded and walked over to the console, bringing up the database and rapidly searching through pages. The Colonel turned to Radek. "Told you."

"It's almost as if he grew up around these systems."

"He kinda did. His mother told Elizabeth that he's been searching through the database back on his planet since he was eight."

"John? Radek?" The boy called out. "I believe I have found it."

Both men rushed over, with Radek picking up his laptop to run a translation program. On the screen a cross sectional image of the pyramidal device was shown, along with Ancient text.

"You did it again."

"Colonel, there is over 400 pages of research on this device." The Czech scientist observed. "This may take some time."

"Maybe you should ask Elizabeth? She understands more Ancient than anyone around here." He put his hand on the boy's shoulder. "Come on Ro, let's get you back to infirmary before Beckett notices we're not back yet."

"I thought you said he was able to leave?"

"Yeah, but only for about fifteen minutes."

The Czech sighed and shook his head. He would never understand the Colonels insistence on bending the rules. He reached for his radio to call Elizabeth as Sheppard and Ro left. As the pair walked along the corridors, Ro was carefully studying what he was seeing again. Sheppard was doing his best to steer him away from obstacles as the boy was lost in this new world. After a few minutes, Sheppard tensed up as he realised where they were. They were outside McKay's quarters. Seeing the Colonels apprehension, the boy walked over and gently tapped his shoulder.

"Are you okay John?"

"Yeah, it's just..." Sheppard leaned back against a pole and rested his weight against it. "He's not here." The pilot closed his eyes as he was remembered the last time he had visited this corridor. It was the day after the Wraith attack and the first day he had forgiven himself for his behaviour to his friend. It was also the first warm shower he had had in a long time. The boy had been right that Atlantis was reacting to his self-loathing. He had been so excited that he had run all the way over to his friend's quarters, before discovering that the doors remained sealed. "Atlantis won't let anyone into these quarters."

"I do not understand."

"We lost Rodney about six months ago in a stupid ambush. The worst part about it was it could have been prevented." Sheppard sunk to the ground, against the pole. "Rodney made a mistake. A big one, but it doesn't matter. Everyone reacted badly to it and we stopped looking out for him. Then he got abducted and the city sealed the doors." Sheppard sighed and closed his eyes. "I don't think anyone but Rodney will be able to open those doors, but we don't know if we'll ever find him."

This was a hard reality to face for the Colonel, especially as he was only now working through his guilt over what had happened. There was silence for a few moments, which was broken by a chime and the sound of doors swishing open. Sheppard's head snapped up, eyes wide to see the boy standing in the doorway not moving, almost as if he was scared to do anything.

"What did you do?"

"I... I... just touched the door... I'm sorry."

Sheppard quickly got up and put his hand on the boy's shoulder. "You didn't do anything wrong." The lights in the room came on and John found himself looking at everything his friend held close to him. The diplomas were still on the wall, the bed was unmade. John absentmindedly stepped through the room, before picking up a framed picture off the desk. It was a picture of himself with his team that was taken shortly after Ronan joined. The memory was a good one.

"Hey Ro, this is..." Sheppard found his voice trailing off as he looked up at the boy. He was standing frozen on the spot, having taken one step into the room, eyes wide in panic with tears falling down his face. Sheppard rushed over. "What's wrong?" The boy was shaking now.

"Kolya... the storm... Arcturus... explosion... Ford... ZPM... the Genii... enzyme... he's dead... an accident... Grodin... not coming back..." Every few seconds, the boy's face tensed as an image flashed in his mind. Sheppard tapped his earpiece.

"Beckett, this is Sheppard. I need you in McKay's quarters."

"Colonel, you better not be playing silly buggers with me. How did you get inside?"

"That's not important Carson, Ro is in trouble. I think he's being overwhelmed by visions."

"I'm on my way Colonel, just try and keep him calm."

Colonel Sheppard took hold of the boy, who crumpled in his arms and pulled him over to the couch. His face was full of fear and he was still muttering random things. What disturbed Colonel Sheppard was that he recognised most of the jumbled words. They were all people he knew, or events he had witnessed. A wave of relief washed over the Colonel as he saw Doctor Beckett and one of his nurses rushing into the room. Carson began to check the boys' vitals.

"Bloody hell." The Scotsman muttered, hearing the boys' ramblings. "How long has he been in this state?"

"A couple of minutes. Doc, this sounds weird, but I recognise a lot of what he's saying."

"Aye Colonel, I'm beginning to suspect that there has been some intervention by an ascended being, but no one should be subjected to this."

The pair looked down at the boy, whose eyes were still in terror. It appeared that he was no longer aware of what was going on around him.

"Doc, is there anything you can do to help him?"

"I don't know Colonel, but I'll run the full range of tests to make sure I don't miss anything."