TITLE: Wait Until Dark

AUTHOR: Susan Zell

DISCLAIMER: All characters belong to Gekko and Sci-Fi and to those luckier than I. All I know is that they aren't mine so no profit has been made by this venture.

SUMMARY: Nightmares and paranoia plague Major Sheppard and his team must determine why before he sinks so deep that there may be no returning.

SPOILERS: Everything up until after "Childhood's End."

RATINGS: PG-13

TYPE: Drama mainly and some hurt/comfort; also some very minor 'shipping. I haven't made my decision between the ShepWeir or the Sheyla camps. So I'm keeping both ends open for now. I always try to follow show canon so I'll leave that decision up to them.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: My first Stargate Atlantis fic so be gentle. If it goes well, I may write another.

Wait Until Dark

By Susan Zell

Chapter One

"Smoke and Shadows"

John Sheppard was not afraid of the dark. He found it comforting usually, a place to take refuge and find some rest. But not tonight. Suddenly the darkness seemed ripe with moving shadows, ominous voices, and terrifying intentions.

He bolted upright in the bed, his chest heaving. His eyes darted around the room, seeking that which seemed to be there only moments before as he lay sleeping.

But the room was empty and still. However, his apprehension would not subside. It truly felt like there was something in here with him. His instinct was rarely wrong, but maybe it was just the past few months still adjusting to Atlantis.

The empty city was disconcerting, with its vacant halls and strange lineage of which he was somehow a part. The architecture was still alien though there were remnants of human connections. Halls still looked like halls and doors still looked like doors though maybe from the Star Trek era, but there the resemblance ended. The strange symbols and the odd controls and bizarre equipment reminded everyone that they were definite strangers here.

Not to mention, the past couple of months had reveled disconcerting things and entities. Sure they handled each one with the usual gung-ho attitude that had got them to the top of the food chain on Earth, but things were different here. Cockiness would only get you so far. They weren't at the top any longer and the struggle to learn and survive in the new pecking order was difficult and downright terrifying.

And he couldn't swear there were no more ghosts in Atlantis.

Maybe he was just experiencing simple nightmares. Though it was the third time this week they had plagued him.

Sheppard ran a broad hand over his face and was surprised to find it covered in a thin sheen of sweat. The dream had really rattled him and that annoyed him. Bad dreams were things of the past. He had put his personal ghosts to rest long ago.

Of course, now he was racking up new ghosts. He hadn't even been here two full months and he had a whole new conga line of ghosts waiting to invade his sleep. At the head of the line was Colonel Sumner. Sumner's drawn, aged face and his pain filled gaze still bored into Sheppard every time he closed his eyes as the female Wraith had sucked his life force dry.

They hadn't gotten along and Sumner was a hard man to impress, but Sheppard had wanted the opportunity. No one deserved to die like that.

He glanced at his watch. It was just past oh-four hundred. There was no sense going back to sleep; he couldn't even if he wanted to. His skin was still crawling and his mind was now racing. Grabbing his shirt and pants, he dressed and moved out into the hall. Perhaps a walk in the fresh air would settle him so he aimed for the nearest balcony.

The minute the salt air hit him he felt his body relax and he allowed his mind drift for a few seconds into the sweet sense of euphoria it created. His eyes closed as he took a deep lingering breath. He leaned his elbows on the rail and gazed out over the far reaching sea. The roar of the water was soft since the wind was light and the waves small. The night sky blazed over him and millions of stars danced in the clear heavens.

The sense of ill ease lessened and Sheppard was happy to let it go. They were scheduled to go off-world again tomorrow and he didn't need to be letting his guard drop due to exhaustion, especially because of bad dreams. It sounded silly. A grown man unnerved by something he couldn't even place a name too. Most of his ghosts had faces, but not this one. It danced about him so he couldn't touch it but it left him with a sense of dread that caused his skin to prickle.

He walked on following the trail of the balcony around the city walls. They went on and on and he was grateful. He hated boundaries and one thing about Atlantis it was a realm of possibilities. O'Neill had been right about that. That cagey old general had practically hoodwinked him into being a part of this expedition. The general knew an adrenalin junkie when he saw one. Sheppard shouldn't have spouted off to his superior about theaters of operations, planes and choppers. In a way, he had brought this upon himself.

The general had most likely requested him to fly that day for a purpose. The ancient gene thing had probably just been icing on the cake. At least it was to Dr. Weir. She had practically salivated at him once he had cluelessly demonstrated his "skills" with the ancient technology. Not that he didn't have women salivating over him on a regular basis back on Earth, but it was one thing to have woman salivating because you were good looking and quite another to have them salivating over a gene he didn't even know he possessed. It was disconcerting. It was like finding out you were connected to royalty suddenly.

But even he had to admit that it was nice to have Dr. Weir look at him with such interest, even if it was just for his genes. He wondered for just a moment if there couldn't be a relationship between himself and Weir. She wasn't military. The same rules wouldn't apply. Or at least he wasn't one hundred percent sure that they would. Though she was still his commanding officer, even without the military rank. But they were on their own out here, with no military or government to really answer to. They could make their own rules.

His rampant male thoughts slowed as logic sank in. How effective would she be if personal feelings got in the way of sending him on dangerous missions? He knew would never allow anyone else to do a job he was capable of doing personally. But Weir would and possibly for the wrong reasons. No, he doubted there could be anything there between them.

But still, there was something there in her eyes whenever they regarding each other.

Sheppard shook his head. Don't go there, Shep ol' boy. There lies danger.

And a headache.

He rubbed his temples and sighed. At least his attention had been diverted from nameless ghosts. Since the Athosians left, the city felt emptier. Usually he would run into one of them out here looking at the sky, even at this early hour. Being displaced like that caused wandering in the night for most of Atlantis' new residents. A part of him hoped to run into Teyla. She was easy to speak with and he loved the look of polite confusion on her face as he related yet another meaningless Earth custom to her and then had to try to find a way for it all to make sense. The way she looked at him with those mocha eyes, full of light and amusement, it certainly made for interesting conversation.

A shape loomed in the distance and for a moment Sheppard tensed, but then he realized it was just the Nightwatch. He called out and the guard lifted a hand in recognition. The guard was used to seeing people out at this late hour. Sleeping habits hadn't quite kicked in for some of the expedition. Strange places and imminent danger didn't always allow for sound rest.

----------------------------------------------

The gate room klaxon sounded as the Stargate began to dial.

"Incoming wormhole," announced Grodin, busy checking the scrolling screens on his display for further details. "It's Major Sheppard's team." He glanced over at Weir standing at the rail. "They're early."

Dr. Elizabeth Weir felt her stomach twist. She didn't know which was worse, a team coming in early or one coming back late. Both made her anxious since there was usually a cause and rarely had any of them been good. She found her gut aching more whenever it was Major Sheppard's team though, which worried her. A bond of friendship was growing between them and it made for a great deal of confusion and worry, more than it should. A commander should remain objective and in control. But her emotions were getting in the way when it came to certain people on the base. Oh God, please let it just be friendship.

"Open the shield."

The minute the swirl of energy faded, thin red beams zipped through the open gate impacting on the lower stairs and walls with a sizzle and barrel roll of smoke. Weir crouched down at the rail though none of the weapons fire came near. At first she had wondered why the command center in Atlantis was on the second floor, well above the gate. It didn't take long to figure out why. The command center remained out of reach of incoming fire.

Seconds later, four bedraggled figures stumbled through, half supporting each other.

"Raise the shield!" she commanded as soon as all her team was accounted for. More impacts rammed home but the shield held. "Medical unit to the gate room."

Grodin relayed the information to the infirmary as Weir rushed down the stairs. The four travelers had sunk to the floor. Teyla was leaning heavily against Major Sheppard. McKay and Ford were supine on the floor, though both were conscious. All were dirty.

My God, was that smoke rising from Major Sheppard's sleeve and Teyla's leg? Weir crouched beside them. "Are you all right? What happened?"

A dazed Sheppard regarded her, surprised at how worried she looked. Usually commanding officers were barking cold words like "Report!" or "Status!" at him. He sometimes forgot she was merely a civilian, one with far too much heart.

"Ambush," Sheppard panted.

"The Wraith?"

He shook his head.

"Indigenous people," added McKay from the other side. He struggled up onto one elbow.

"They were a little anti-social." Aidan Ford rolled over and sat up as well. His face was smeared with mud and dirt and he wiped it away with a sleeve that was just as filthy.

"A little?" counted Sheppard with a disbelieving eye. "They were downright hostile."

The medical team rattled into view with gurney and equipment.

McKay gave an audible sigh of relief but still griped, "About time."

Doctor Carson Beckett ignored his comment but not the man himself and scanned the group for the worst injured.

McKay waved his attention toward Teyla and Sheppard. "Teyla took a bad hit. Ford and I are fine. Filthy but fine." He regarded his own state with disgust. "Swamps. We should have a rule about never entering a swamp."

"We didn't know it was a swamp," retorted Sheppard, finding it hard to subdue his ire. He was busy holding up Teyla. "Doc, what do you think? Is she going to be okay?"

Dr. Beckett was examining the wound in the Athosian's left thigh. "What were they shooting?"

"Lasers, I think. Burns like the devil."

The physician nodded. "It would explain the cauterization of the wound." He caught a glimpse of the small stream of smoke rising from Sheppard's own arm.

But Sheppard shook his head. "It's just a graze."

"I want you all down in the infirmary."

McKay immediately protested. "I just need a shower."

"Sorry, Rodney," Weir countered. "Everyone gets checked out."

Teyla was lifted onto the gurney and rolled away. Sheppard indicated he didn't need one and trailed after the med team though two nurses escorted him on either side just in case. Ford pulled McKay to his feet and the two followed the Major's lead.

Beckett touched Weir comfortingly on the arm. "It dinna look too bad. The bleedin' is under control. Which is good since I dinna have a lot of information on Teyla's physiology yet."

"What?"

"I mean she looks human, and for the most part is human, but there are some differences. I'd like ta recommend that you ground the team for a wee bit and let me do a complete work up on Teyla now that I have her in sickbay. We were verra lucky this time, I think. But I'd like ta get some more information just in case. Next time we might not be."

Weir immediately saw the wisdom in that. "Absolutely. John's team has been taking a few too many hits lately anyway. I think it's a good time to give them a breather. Consider it done. And keep me informed of Teyla's condition, and Major Sheppard's."

"Will do."

tbc

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