Hello, Stargate Lovers!

A little chapter this time, to end the previous one, just like the original two part episode.

The next one will take a little while to post, but promise it won't too long!

Enjoy this one in the meantime!

Chapter 45: Episode 5x11

While Atlantis was about to explode, Todd's ships got destroyed as they entered hyperspace. Feeling betrayed, the Wraith, with a certain device, took over the Daedalus and it's command, taking the crew hostage.

In the meantime, both Daniel and Rodney figured out what kind of device they had been tasked to fix, realizing the reason why the Ancients had shut the Attero project down.

Atlantis

Teyla and everyone felt the explosion in the lower levels of the main tower.

"Col. Sheppard, are you all right?" The Athosian asked over the radio. "John?" Still there was no response.

"Teyla! How many were up there?" One of the doctors, Mary, came out of the infirmary.

"Three." Teyla answered, concerned about her friends.

"I'll go get my people." Marie informed, leaving to get her gear and team.

Almost immediately, several people followed Teyla up the tower, to find the control room completely destroyed and in the dark.

"John?"

"Dr. O'Neill is here!" Major Lorne shouted from the space where a gate was supposed to be. "She's uncouscious." He said as another doctor tended to the scientist, who coffed at some point, opening her eyes.

"Hey, Evan..." Her voice came out hoarse and in a daze.

"Take her to the infirmary, Major Lorne. I'll be right there." Marie said, following Teyla to another area of the destroyed control room.

Carefully, the soldier took Alexandra into his arms and took off.

In the conference room, Teyla found John on top of Radek, having protecting him from the strength of the blast.

"We didn't take cover." The temporary Atlantis leader said.

"Are you all right?" Teyla asked, helping him up.

"My ears." The pilot slightly shouted and looked towards her. "Alex… she's…" John mumbled.

"She's fine. She was taken to the infirmary by Major Lorne." The Athosian informed.

"I think I got some glass in my back." He continued, groaning in pain.

"Marie." With a nod, the doctor took John, while Teyla helped Radek up.

"We lost the Stargate. We lost the Control Room. That's bad."

"But we did not lose you. That's good." Teyla appeased with a serious smile.

A few minutes later, as she arrived in the infirmary hall, she heard John angry tone.

"Happy?!" His hazel eyes were focused on a wincing Alexandra being checked out. He could see a few cuts on her arms and cheeks. "You got hurt. Again!"

One of the doctors made John sit on one of the beds in front of hers, cutting his shirt open to get to the glass on his back.

As she kept her silence, the pilot saw her rub her eyes at some point and for the first time since the morning before he could see how tired she looked. It couldn't possibly be just about the depletion in her shield, could it? Had she slept in the last 48 hours? He couldn't know, since he hadn't seen her all day after their conversation in her lab.

"You're not going to say anything?" His tone came out softer this time.

"I used my shield, redirected the explosion outside. What else would you want me to do? It's the hazards of the job, Sheppard." Besides tired, and wanting to curl up in her bed and sleep for hours, Alexandra was annoyed.

"Hazards of the… what if you had died? How would I tell your uncle…"

Alexandra's eyes looked up at him for the first time. There was a hardness there he didn't expect.

"My uncle? That's what you're worried about? My uncle?" She hissed, not believing it. "If I had died, you know what would have happened."

They were so focused on each other they missed Teyla's and Lorne's chagrin look.

"Alex… I didn't…"

"Don't worry, Colonel." Alexandra pushed everyone from her and stood. "I'll get out of your hair in a few days."

At that, she left, leaving John to follow her with his eyes, not understanding her words as Teyla approached him with the latest news.

"10,000 years?" The scientist walked into the makeshift control room, followed by Teyla, who went to find Alexandra after Todd had made his demands about the Daedalus ship and it's crew. "Didn't know Todd was that old. Anyway, what he said is correct. I found information about the Attero device in the many notes Daniel brought. And in the database, once I knew where to look."

"And?" John's tone was amiccable as his eyes didn't find any bruises on her face from earlier. She was healing faster now.

"There is no pictures in the database. Janus description is about a much bigger device, like the size of this room big. What the unknown race took, it must have been some kind of key to turn it on."

"Mm..."

"Hyperspace window opening." Amelia interrupted them without taking her eyes from the computer.

"Think Todd changed his mind?" John approached the main monitor.

"He might have realized just how crippled we are." Radek continued.

"We're being hailed." The technician informed.

"My name is Katana Labrea. I'm a Traveler. Larrin sent me." The woman in the monitor immediately said.

"Well, is everything all right?" Concern filled John.

"No, as a matter of fact, it's not. Larrin was hoping you could tell us why the Stargates are blowing up."

Wanting to get as fast as he could to Daniel and Rodney before Todd, John gave his final orders to Teyla.

As he got to the jumpers that would take him and his small team to Katana's spaceship, the pilot saw Alexandra approach the older scientist.

Placing, what he thought it would be a softer stance, John stepped closer to her. Immediately, he saw the way she tensed at his approach.

"Teyla will be in charge." He started softly, worry etched in his stance.

"Good choice."

"I... We'll finish our conversation when I get back." John continued as she barely looked up at him.

"There's nothing to finish." With a slight frown, Alexandra turned away from him.

"Alex…" He sighed, not wanting to part upset.

"Good luck, Colonel." She ended the exchange as she sat in front of one of the computers in the control room.

Staring at her for a moment, John accepted he couldn't do anything until that crisis was dealt with, so he left with resignation.

One problem at a time, he thought.

Night Time

Atlantis was safe.

The Daedalus was back.

Todd was nowhere to be found.

The villains had been Asgards all along, with the same genetic problems as the ones in Milky Way galaxy. Apparently, they needed the Wraith gone so they would continue their research on the slowing decay of their DNA on another planet, since the resources of M6H-987 were depleated.

"Desperate needs required desperate deeds." Alexandra sighed as she thought about the last couple of days as she zipped her last bag, all ready to leave next morning. She was dreading the moment but she knew the time had arrived for her to leave.

With a sigh, the scientist left her quarters, walking around Atlantis corridors to make her decision known.

However, she stopped upon hearing John's voice. She closed her eyes hearing his insinuation about inviting Larrin to the city, without a crisis involved. So, just like that, there was another reason for her to leave Atlantis. It would be good. For both of them.

Minutes later, Alexandra arrived at the infirmary after communicating her decision to Woolsey. The leader of the lost city had been surprised by her words, but accepted them, even if he had tried to make her stay.

At the sight of a half asleep Daniel, the younger scientist smiled.

Noticing her, the archaeologist held his arm open and without question, she slid next to him. Immediately, enjoying the embrace of her friend.

"Vala would be so jealous right now." She heard him snort upon her words.

"We're much better now. Which is weird."

"She's good for you, Daniel. And you're good for her as well."

"I know. So… back to Earth, I gather?"

"Yes. I need to go home. I need to be home."

Daniel heard her words and her tone. He believed her by the way she layed her head on his shoulder.

And, next morning, Alexandra said her goodbyes to everyone, even little Torren, who she would miss dearly.

Except for John. Him, she couldn't do it. She had been in front of his quarters an hour ealier, but was unable to knock. Of course, he would be angry, but she couldn't seem to care. She was angry too. And, as she saw herself in front of the gate's blue pool, she felt relieved and at peace with her decision, as she crossed that blue frontier.

Hours Later

"I thought you would be in the control room this morning."

John looked up at Rodney, while having a late lunch.

"No. After what happened for the past couple of days, I asked Woolsey for the day off."

Confused, Rodney sat down in front of him.

"Why? Something happened?" The pilot frowned, wondering if there had been any crisis he didn't know about.

"I thought you would have liked to say goodbye to Alex and…" The scientist kept going after his initial surprise.

"Why would I…" Then, John understood. "She left?!"

"With Jackson. I thought she told you. Everyone thought you were upset, of course, hence the reason of you not showing up. But it's Alex, and..."

"And I would have been there, upset or not." John's shoulders slumped as he looked down at his food, not wanting to keep eating. Her words finally made sense. Getting out of his hair. She had left. Without telling him.

"She... In a way, she told me. I just didn't listen." Her leaving was never in the cards after he had returned from the future. He had made sure he would do everything right. But, looking back, that wasn't true, was it? He should have listened to her.

Looking at his silent friend, Rodney knew there was nothing he could say to make John feel better, so he kept silent as he started to eat his lunch quietly.

Ps: Thoughts?