"Cheers. You'd have made a fine nurse Sheppard" Carson placed the tweezers either side of the object and pulled. It came away easily, revealing two 3 inch wires, resembling straightened paperclips, embedded in Elizabeth's neck. John watched as Elizabeth's face tensed when the wires were removed. He bent down and wiped away the blood droplets as soon as Carson had finished. Closing his eyes, he kissed her cheek softly. Then sat once again by her side.

"John…?"

John stared in disbelief. "Elizabeth…" Carson appeared behind him instantly;

"Oh thank God" Carson sighed loudly, smiling warmly at a somewhat bewildered looking Elizabeth.

"John!" she exclaimed softly, trying to sit up. Throwing his arms around her, John wrapped Elizabeth in his embrace as he had longed to do for so long now. Carson smiled, hurriedly removing the belts from her waist before the leaders' reunion caused her further pain. Deciding further examination could wait a few a minutes, Carson left the room; certain Sheppard could help Elizabeth far more than anything on Atlantis could right now.

The two remained in each others arms for several minutes, Elizabeth's head buried in John's chest, the images of the Wraith still fresh in her mind. She began to cry, her frame shivering against his. Without thinking he began to lightly kiss her head, stroking her back soothingly. John neither knew why this happened to her, nor what had caused it; all he knew was she was here now. Elizabeth's shaking began to subside, her small sobs quietening. Opening her eyes for only the second time, she raised her head slowly, meeting John's gaze. Moving several locks of hair out of her face, John lightly touched her face, tracing his fingers over her bare cheeks, coming to a stop when he reached her lips. Pausing only briefly, he leaned forward, pressing his own to hers.

Though brief, it was all that she needed right now. Though words were hardly needed, John confirmed what their eyes so openly expressed;

"I love you. I love you Elizabeth"

She smiled, but quickly looked down; proceeding to curl up, her head on the pillow facing away from John.

Though still overjoyed at her return, John was a little hurt at her apparent coldness. He began to ease himself off the mattress. She reached out, grasping his coat in her fists. Pulling his arm towards her, John grinned, his earlier doubts vanishing as quickly as they had come. Slipping his boots off, he lifted up the sheets and slid in to her bed, his body moulding perfectly around hers. His head lay facing the head of brown curls now. He blew slightly on her earlobe, causing her to turn around, giggling silently. Now they lay facing each other, his arms without a thought encompassing her once again.

"I love you too" She whispered, her eyes closing.

John watched her drift asleep, studying her beautiful face. If his eyes saw nothing else again, he would not care. Elizabeth's sleeping face could not be matched. When John felt fully satisfied she was soundly asleep, he too closed his eyes, the image of her sleeping face, that lay only millimetres away form his own, suspended clearly is his mind.

Carson re-entered some hours later, momentarily startled at the sight of John's back where Elizabeth had once lain. He quickly walked over, sighing quietly as he discovered Elizabeth's small figure pressed against Johns. Dimming the hospital lights, he left them to sleep.