Fix-it Fic: What about Elizabeth? - Shep/Weir - PG (Part 01/02)
Disclaimer and the usual blabla
Part 01: What about Elizabeth?
John Sheppard looked at the digitalized older version of Dr. Rodney McKay and sighed. The future of his closest friends was one of the things he never thought he would know… no, make that never *wanted* to know.
Taking a step inside the stasis chamber he faltered for a moment and turned slightly back to Rodney.
“What about Elizabeth?”
“Huh, what?” Rodney looked up surprised from the panel he had been staring at.
“What about Elizabeth?” John repeated. “Did you ever hear anything about her again?”
Rodney noticed the small trace of hope in John’s voice and let out a sigh.
“Yes, but it’s probably too late anyway.”
John took his leg out of the stasis chamber again and fully turned to his friend. “Tell me, Rodney.”
“You’re not going to like it.” He muttered
“If there is a way to rescue her, I want to know about it.”
“That’s just it, I don’t know if she can be saved anymore. The condition we found her in was irreversible. Even now it’s probably too late.”
“Probably, Rodney. Emphasis on ‘probably’. So tell me.”
“Fine.” Rodney grumbled reluctantly. “A dozen or so Asurans managed to get away before we blew up their planet. Elizabeth was among them but the damage Oberoth’s tortures had caused were already too much for her to handle. When we found her there wasn’t a trace left of the once strong-willed woman we all knew. Oberoth had mentally broken her and we never found a way to fully pull her out of it.” Rodney looked at Sheppard and saw pain and traces of desperation on the man’s face. The same pain and desperation he had shown when Elizabeth’s body had been taken over with the nanites the first time. He had been the one to pull her out of her mental nightmare back then… maybe… just maybe…
“Of course.” Rodney continued. “Now that you are there to rescue her, maybe she can be saved.”
Sheppard looked at him with some surprise on his face. “What do you mean?”
“Well, you were the one who pulled her out of the nanites grasp the first time.” He pointed out.
“It was nanites back then, McKay. Right now her mind is just screwed up, right?” Sheppard’s face was dark and gloomy.
“True, but I’m sure that if there’s one person who can bring her out of it, it’s you.”
John stared at the older image of his friend for a few silent moments and let out a huff. “I don’t see how I could make a difference.”
Rodney nearly gaped at him. “You’re kidding me, right?”
John just stared pointedly at the scientist, trying to hide his feelings. Trying to hide the things he’d wanted to scream out for so long now.
“Sheppard, come on. Who am I going to tell? You’re probably the only living thing left in this universe, so for once, let your heart speak.”
Glaring at his friend, John let out an exasperated sigh. “What do you want to hear, Rodney? That I loved her from the moment I laid eyes on her? That it pained me that we couldn’t be together? That whenever she was hurting I wanted to switch places with her? That when she ordered us to leave her behind I wanted to stay with her? That when they told us she was dead I wanted to throw myself off the balcony outside of the control room just so I could join her in the afterlife?” His voice had risen a few levels and he was breathing hard while trying to fight the tears that were threatening to break through.
“Why didn’t you?” Rodney asked.
“What?” John asked confused.
“Why didn’t you throw yourself of the balcony?” He clarified calmly.
John looked at him in shock for a few moments. “Oh, you’re a nice friend. You want me to kill myself?”
“That’s not what I mean and you know it. I just want to know what stopped you.”
John glared at him again.
“Jeez, Sheppard, again: Who am I going to tell? I’ve been watching the two of you twirl around each other for three years. I saw how devastated you were after we left her behind and after they told us she was dead. You don’t have to hide anything from me.”
John let out a sigh. “I stood on the balcony, staring down and ready to jump. But then I realized there was no proof that she was really dead. To me it didn’t feel like she was dead. I knew that if she was really dead, I would feel it, because… a part of me would die with her.”
“So after all you’ve told me, you still don’t believe you could pull her out of it?”
“Come on, Rodney, you really don’t think she feels the same, do you?”
“Oh, please, tell me you’re kidding again. Are you blind or just that stupid?”
“What do you mean?” John asked carefully.
“Come on. When we returned from off-world, you were always the first one she sought out and you could see she was worried a heck of a lot more about you than about anyone else. When you were in the infirmary, she hovered around there until she was sure you were going to be ok. And most of all, when you guys were in the same room sparks were flying all over the place.”
“It really was that obvious?” John asked a bit surprised.
“Only if you weren’t blind.” Rodney gave him a soft smile. “I’ll add the address where we found her to the one where we found Teyla. Trust me, Sheppard. If anyone can bring her back, it’s you.”
John returned the smile hesitantly and stepped inside the stasis chamber.
“See you later.”
***
“It’s Colonel Sheppard’s IDC, ma’am.” Chuck nearly yelled.
Carter looked at the tech in surprise. “Lower the shield.”
Moments later John stepped from the gate. He immediately looked up at the control room.
“I know where we can find Teyla and Elizabeth.” Was the first thing he said.
Part 02: Not Real
“So, we know where to find Teyla and we know where to find Dr. Weir. Who do we send for who?” Sam asked her alpha team.
“I’m going for Elizabeth.” “I’ll get Teyla back.”
John and Ronon had said it at the same time. They looked at each other, understanding dawning about how much the woman each man had mentioned meant to them.
“I don’t want to split the team up.” Sam said.
“And I don’t want to wait any longer to get either of them back.” John replied without missing a beat.
“I agree with Sheppard.” Ronon said.
“McKay, what do you think?” Sam asked the strangely silent scientist. He looked up at her, almost surprised that she had asked him something.
“Oh, well, easy choice… If we go after Elizabeth, we risk running into Replicators and if we go after Teyla we risk running into Wraith… Yes, very easy choice.”
John rolled his eyes and Ronon let out a sigh that more resembled a growl.
Sam was surprised by Rodney’s behavior but decided to ignore it for now. “Alright, this is what I propose. McKay can stay here; we need his help in one of the labs anyway. Ronon, you will take Davids’ team with you to go look for Teyla. Colonel, you will take Lorne’s team with you to go look for Dr. Weir. This is recon only, so if you stumble on a large hostile force, return for reinforcements. I don’t want to send out another team to save you too. Is this alright for everyone?”
The three men nodded their agreement and Sam stood up. “Good. Get everything in order. Dismissed.”
They got off of the chairs and walked outside of her office.
“What the hell was your problem?” John asked the second the doors closed behind them and he turned angrily to McKay.
“I’m sorry, but I just can’t choose between my friends.” McKay said.
John opened his mouth and closed it again before uttering a confused: “What?”
“Look, I... I know how much Elizabeth means to you and Ronon, I know how much Teyla means to you. But to me they’re both real good friends and they’re both equally important. I don’t want to be forced to choose who I want to go and save.”
John patted his shoulder in understanding. “No problem, McKay.”
The scientist seemed to visibly relax as both John and Ronon’s hard glares turned soft.
An hour later both teams were standing ready in the gateroom.
“Ronon, you’ll go through first.” Sam called from the control room.
“Bring her back home.” John said and shook his hand.
“You too man. It’s time for Weir to return.”
John nodded and watched as the gate locked and Ronon’s team stepped through.
A few moments later the gate locked again.
“Bring her back home, Colonel.” Sam called right before he stepped through the gate.
“Will do.” He called back.
As he stepped from the gate, he was greeted by green meadows and a lush deciduous forest. At the horizon large mountains rose up, their tops white with permanent snow. On their right side a brook slowly made its way through the landscape and on their left, cow-like creatures were lazily grazing. It dawned on John how incredibly peaceful it was here and that was very rare in a galaxy terrorized by Wraith. He was glad though that Elizabeth had landed here. She deserved the peacefulness of this place after the horrors she must have lived through.
A worn-out path was clearly visible in the high grass.
“Alright. Everyone stay alert. We could be dealing with replicators so don’t lose your attention. Stay on your toes, no matter what we see or what we run in to.”
A chorus of ‘yes sirs’ arose and John began following the path, closely trailed by the rest of the team.
The path led them straight into the dense forest, putting the soldiers on high alert as a trap would be very easily constructed here.
It didn’t take them long though to reach a clearing and the edge of a small town.
A dark haired man and blonde woman came their way.
“Welcome to Divotu.” The man greeted them in a pleasant voice and a hint of a smile on his face.
“May your stay here be pleasurable.” The woman continued. “I am Guna and this is my husband Feno, if we can help you with anything, please let us know.”
“Thank you.” John said. “But we’re here with a purpose. Do you know a woman named Elizabeth Weir?”
Guna and Feno looked at each other for a moment.
“A few months ago a group of strangers arrived here, seeking shelter.” Feno said. “Most of them left again, but one stayed behind. She was too…” Feno looked to his wife in uncertainty.
“Sick?” She suggested.
“Yes, sick.” Feno agreed. “She was too sick to accompany the others and she stayed behind in our hospital.”
“Is it Elizabeth?” John asked, slowly losing his patience.
Feno shrugged. “I do not know. She does barely ever speak and the others never really talked to her either after a while.”
“Can I see her?” John wanted to know.
“Of course. Guna will guide you there.” Feno answered.
“Sir, maybe one of us should accompany you.” Lorne suggested.
“Fine, Lorne, you’re with me. The rest of you, keep your eyes open and the moment you see anything suspicious, let me know.”
The soldiers nodded and John and Lorne followed Guna into the city.
“You seem to be thriving well. Wraith don’t bother you?” John asked.
“It has been many generations since we have seen them.” Guna admitted. “We do not know why they do not cull us anymore, but we always stay ready for their return. We have arrived at the hospital.”
John thought the building looked small for a hospital but followed Guna in. “Do you know what’s wrong with the woman?” He asked.
“I do not.” She admitted. “She is usually unresponsive and seems to live in her own world. Our doctor should be able to clarify her situation better.”
“Can I first see her? To make sure it is the woman we are looking for?” John asked.
“Of course.” Guna nodded and led them up some stairs. Opening the door to a room, she motioned them inside.
John gasped. The woman in the bed was Elizabeth but she looked very thin and pale and was nothing but a mere shadow of the woman he had once known.
“Elizabeth.” John breathed, shock and unbelief clearly audible in his voice. He stepped closer to her and grasped her hand without hesitation. “God, Elizabeth.”
Lorne silently motioned Guna outside and closed the door behind them, giving John and Elizabeth some privacy.
“Elizabeth?” John asked again, gently squeezing her hand.
She didn’t acknowledge him and just stared at an invisible dot on the ceiling.
“Elizabeth, can you hear me?” The desperation in his voice was becoming clearly audible. “Please, say something.”
She whispered something he didn’t understand.
“What was that, Elizabeth?”
“You’re not real.” She whispered again. “You promised me no more. You’re not real. You’re not real. You’re not real.”
“Elizabeth…”
It was hopeless and John knew it. She kept whispering ‘you’re not real’ and pushed herself deeper into her pillow as if trying to shy away from him.
John sighed. McKay had been right, she was nothing like the woman he had once known… Oberoth had broken her spirit and he feared McKay’s words would become a reality. That it was too late to pull her out of the downward spiral Oberoth had forced her in. But he also knew he could never give up on her.
“I’m real Elizabeth. And I’ll prove it to you... no matter what it takes.”
TBC
Part 03/04/05