Author's Notes: Thanks to Stonedtoad for betaing.

Enjoy.

Tim sat on the small balcony just off the infirmary staring out across the water still trying to get his head around everything. Miguel had headed back to the boat ten minutes before which left him with only his thoughts.

He was confused, unsure if he wanted to meet his parents - that was so strange to think, or just go back to his life and never think of it again.

"Nurse Sterling let you sit out here," Ari's voice interrupted his thoughts, "She must like you."

Before he could say anything she pulled up the other chair and sat across from him, "I know I am the last person you probably want to talk to right now but I wanted to apologise."

Tim stared at her, "Am I supposed to forgive you for your huge invasion of privacy?"

"No," she replied softly, "I don't expect that but I am here to answer any questions you have about Jack and Sara. They helped raise me so I can pretty much answer anything."

He turned away from her and looked out at the ocean again for several minutes. Turning back Tim sighed, "I don't know where to start."

"Okay, no questions right now," Ari mused before she shrugged, "Remember all the stories I said you couldn't afford? Well now you have the currency."

"What?"

"Ask me whatever you want to know," Ari replied.

Tim frowned at her, "That isn't helping."

"Then how about a walk?" she suggested.

He stared at her confused, "You do realise I am in the infirmary because I'm injured?"

"Your legs weren't injured were they?" Ari asked with a cheeky smile, bouncing up she leaned into the main room, "Carson, can Tim come for a walk?"

The doctor appeared and nodded, "That sounds like a good idea but I want you to be back in an hour, Lieutenant."

Ari gave him a smile and Tim sighed, "I'll get dressed."

x

Lucas listened watching Rodney carefully as he explained the controls for the transporter system.

"I wonder if we could get these onto the Seaquest," Lucas pondered.

Rodney frowned in thought, "It's possible I suppose though we would have to upgrade the system and the power requirements would more than likely blow your engines to oblivion."

Lucas nodded in agreement, "Would be so cool though."

"Just for fun," Rodney mused, "We could check into it."

Before Lucas could reply they were interrupted.

"There you are, Rodney," Laura Cadman appeared from around the corner, "Zelenka is about to blow a gasket."

Rodney rolled his eyes, "Why?"

She tapped her ear, "He's been calling with no answer. You have a staff meeting."

Rodney grimaced and pulled his radio out putting it in his ear wincing at the swearing, "Alright, Radek I am on my way."

Laura shared an amused look with the teenager standing watching, "Mr Wolenczak, Captain Bridger is looking for you to return to the Seaquest. He said something about a diagnostic that needed to be done."

Lucas winced, "Oh yeah. I was hoping he wouldn't remember about that while we were here."

"Sorry," Laura chuckled.

"Well this meeting should only take an hour," Rodney told him, "I hope, so how about I meet you after and I can show you door controls as well as some of the more unusual labs."

Lucas grinned, "Cool, I better go."

With a wave he jogged away leaving them standing.

Laura turned to Rodney and smiled, "I can't believe you managed to make friends with the kid."

"He's smart and I'm hoping he might want to come work with us," Rodney noted as they started walking, "I think he'd get along well with Madison."

Laura held up her hand stopping him in his tracks, "You want to introduce your teenage niece to him?"

Rodney looked at her bemused.

"Think about it for a while," she chuckled.

Rodney frowned before shaking his head, "Are we still on for dinner?"

"If you get to my quarters by seven then yes," leaning into him Laura pressed a quick kiss to his cheek, "Go before Zelenka has a meltdown and I'll see you later."

With a smile they headed their separate ways.

x

Tim turned to Ari as they stood watching not far from Rodney and Laura.

"Are they a couple?" he asked.

Ari shrugged, "No one is actually sure. The story I was told was that back in the second year of operations, when Laura was first assigned here, they were picked up by a Wraith dart and somehow they only got Rodney out on the first attempt."

"So?" Tim asked as they started walking again.

Ari smiled happy that he was finally starting to talk to her, "So, it turned out Laura's consciousness was in his head. Since they got her out they've had a weird relationship. There is a huge betting pool on whether they're dating, married or just really good friends."

"What is your money on?" Tim asked amused.

Ari shrugged, "I'm still deciding. Come on, there is something cool I want to show you that you'll love."

Tim followed her again glad she forced him out the infirmary, he was going slightly crazy trying to decide what to do so getting out of his head was the best idea. He followed Ari through the corridors, checking his watch to see how long he had left before the doctor wanted him back.

"Where are we?" he asked when Ari finally stopped in front of a door that looked like any other.

Ari smiled to him, "It's a surprise."

Tim grimaced slightly but followed her into the large empty room that held a podium and nothing else.

"Step on it and touch the glass pane in front of you," Ari told him.

A little bemused Tim did as ordered jumping when a woman appeared from nowhere. When he bounced off the woman disappeared and Tim turned to Ari stunned.

"What was that?" Tim asked grinning in amazement.

Ari chuckled, "It's the history of Atlantis. The hologram also answers specific questions, though Dad says you have to be really specific."

Tim chewed his lip for a moment before stepping on once again and started asking questions.

x

Ari sat watching Tim ask questions about the history of Atlantis. She had spent enough time in this place herself during her earlier visits but he had queries that she had never thought of.

"Arianna," Carson's voice sounded in her ear suddenly making her jump, "Your hour was up almost twenty minutes ago."

"Oops," she grimaced checking her watch, "We'll be there soon," pulling herself off the floor, "Tim, Carson is expecting you back. And I have been in enough trouble with him recently."

"Sure," Tim sighed, he dropped his eyes for a moment before looking up at her, "Thanks for this."

Ari smiled before they started out. They both stopped in surprise to see Sha're waiting for them as they neared the infirmary.

"Mom?"

"Arianna," she smiled at her daughter, "Your father wants you to join him to look over some things to do with the boxes."

Shaking her head Ari nodded, "I'll see you later, Tim. Maybe then you'll know what you want to ask."

x

"Lieutenant," Sha're said softly once her daughter had left them, "May I walk with you?"

A little confused Tim nodded.

"I wanted to check on you," Sha're told him as they walked, "Everything you have suddenly learned about yourself must be both confusing and frightening."

Tim sighed softly, "I've spent years hating my parents, thinking they didn't really want me to find out suddenly that they're alive and thought I was dead is... it is just…"

"Confusing?" Sha're suggested.

He nodded, surprised in himself that he had blurted out his fears to her.

"My daughter has told you our story," Sha're noted, "Correct?"

Tim nodded again, not sure where she was going with this. They entered the infirmary and Tim went straight to his bed when the doctor frowned at him

"I spent many years only being able to watch over my husband and child," Sha're explained taking a seat on the bed across from Tim's, "For sixteen years I could not comfort my daughter when she was hurt, or hug her when I was proud of her and I had to watch another woman be her mother."

"I'm sure you're going somewhere with this," Tim smiled slightly.

Sha're nodded, "I cannot describe to you the immense joy I felt when I was able to hold my daughter for the first time and when I knew that I would be there for her from then on. No matter how scared you are of meeting Jack and Sara," she held up her hand to stop him protesting, "I know you are."

"The empathy thing," Tim frowned.

Sha're nodded before continuing, "No matter how scared you are, they will be nothing but overjoyed to have you back in their lives."

x

"Ari," Daniel greeted his daughter when she walked into his lab, "What are you doing here?"

Ari frowned confused, "Mom said you wanted to see me?" annoyance covered her face, "I can't believe she got rid of me like that to talk to Tim."

Daniel laughed, "And you couldn't tell she was lying?"

"Can you?" Ari threw at him sullenly.

"On occasion," Daniel smirked at her.

Taking a seat Ari looked down at the chest sitting on the bench, "Have you found anything new?"

Daniel shrugged, "Not in here but I sent a team to look into the lab again. I'm hoping we'll get something further to work with."

Ari nodded as she chewed her lip in thought.

"What?" Daniel asked.

Ari looked up, "What?"

"You've got that look which means you're obsessing on something," Daniel told her, "Are you still thinking about whether or not Tim will talk to Jack and Sara?"

She shrugged, "Actually I'm more worried about why Mom wanted to talk to Tim."

"Your mother is a wonderful woman," Daniel smiled affectionately as he spoke of his wife, "And her gift is meant to let her help people. She may be able to help him decide what he wishes to do."

Miguel finished his diagnostic on the WSKRs hoping he could head back to check on his friend soon. He was worried. This huge revelation that his past was not what he thought had shaken Tim in a way Miguel had never seen before.

Miguel was half-hoping he ran into Arianna so he could yell at her for doing this to Tim but then again he understood her need to find out the answers.

"Hey," Tony appeared at his side suddenly, "Is O'Neill okay?"

Miguel nodded automatically, "The doctor is just keeping him in the infirmary for now."

"I heard a rumour the Captain had some big talk with him?" Tony continued, "And they're never a good thing."

Miguel grimaced inwardly hating the rumour mill, "No idea but I'm going to take him something to read once I'm finished here. Want to come?"

Tony shook his head, to Miguel's relief, "Can't. I've been invited to join a poker game by some of the Atlantis guys. Thought I'd go and clean them out."

Miguel chuckled, "Sounds great."

Relieved Tony had something else to distract him Miguel completed his handover before heading off the bridge. He knew Tim wasn't up to seeing anyone at the moment but he couldn't think of any way to discourage their friends without telling them the truth.

"Mr Ortiz," Bridger's voice made him stop.

Taking a deep breath Miguel turned to see his captain was walking towards him, "Yes, sir?"

Bridger caught up with him and they began to walk again, "Are you going to see O'Neill?"

Miguel nodded, "Yes, sir."

"Good," the Captain nodded, "How is he handling this?"

Taking a moment Miguel phrased his answer before replying, "As well as he can. Sir, Tim has never been the most confident of people. Although since you joined the boat and gave him much more responsibility his self-esteem has been bolstered."

"But?"

"But this has thrown him a lot," Miguel sighed.

Bridger nodded, "Do your best to keep him together and let him sort this out. I expect nothing from him until he's ready."

x

Nathan was relieved that Ortiz was looking after his friend meaning he could focus on something else

Kristen smiled when she looked up at his knock on the door, "Nathan."

He grinned back at her, "I finally have some time and wanted to take up your offer of a tour."

"I think that can be arranged," Kristen replied shutting down her workstation and slipping her arm through his as they started along the corridors.

With everything that had been happening Nathan hadn't had a chance to truly appreciate the beauty of the city he was in and found himself staring at the view the moment they stopped on the nearest balcony.

"The moment I came here," Kristen said softly, "All I could think was how much you would love it."

Nathan nodded, "You're right. It is an incredible place."

"But you prefer the Seaquest," Kristen chuckled turning to look at him.

Giving a slight shrug Nathan motioned the city, "It just sits here. The Seaquest moves and we find a different view each day."

"Atlantis can fly," Kristen noted.

"Arianna Jackson did mention that," Nathan replied, "But how long has it been since it last flew?"

"Touché, Captain," Kristen laughed before she tapped his arm, "Come on, there is more to see."

They continued on and Kristen showed him more of the city including the Jumper Bay and the Chair room before they reached the Gateroom so he could see the view from the main tower.

"Captain," Colonel Sheppard greeted him, "Is there something you need?"

"I'm just getting the tour," Nathan replied motioning to Kristen.

Sheppard nodded, "Of course. Though I'll admit I was hoping there was something to be done. It's been a slow day."

The moment he finished speaking the Stargate began to spin and an alarm sounded Sheppard closed his eyes and sighed.

"You'd think I'd know better by now," he said as he jogged over to the controls.

Nathan followed him, not sure what he could do but ready to offer assistance.

"Forrest's team are the only ones out," the young woman sitting at the controls reported, "Shield active and no IDC code coming through."

Sheppard grimaced before he hit a button on the console in front of him, "Major Forrest, this is Sheppard report."

Silence answered him and Nathan felt the tension climb around him as they waited.

"It's Holland," a reply finally came, "We have an issue, Colonel."

Sheppard frowned, "What's wrong, Dr Holland?"

"We were exploring the lab as per Dr Jackson's instructions," Holland continued, Nathan estimated the voice belonged to quite a young man, "We found what we believe was a testing area. We took the Jumper to check and it's trapped."

"Trapped where?"

"Underwater," Holland replied, annoyance clear in his voice, "It looks like we activated a security system and we're trapped."

"Where is Forrest?" Sheppard asked.

"Rerouting power to the shield," Holland advised.

Sheppard nodded, "Okay, can you use the weapons to get out?"

"We don't think it's a good idea," Holland replied, "We think it'll destroy us if we try."

Nathan watched Sheppard as he motioned to one of the other Atlantis crew sitting nearby who nodded and started talking softly into his radio.

"I'm getting the gang together," Sheppard told him, "Contact every hour."

"Yes, sir," Holland said before the Gate shutdown.

Sheppard turned Nathan again, "I brought this on myself. I should know better than to complain of boredom."

"I know the feeling," Nathan replied automatically walking with the other man.

Sheppard stopped suddenly, "Can I interrupt your tour for some help? Underwater is your speciality."

"Happy to help, Colonel," Nathan told him.

They both turned to Kristen who held up her hand before either man apologised.

"I'll get the infirmary ready," she told them.

Nathan caught her hand and gave it a quick squeeze before he followed Sheppard to the conference room.