Flying Lesson, Epilogue

"Do none of you understand what I mean when I say the woman needs to rest?"

Elizabeth looks over and smiles as Dr. Beckett walks into the infirmary. She is once again under strict orders to rest. Although she doesn't understand how much more rest she can get after being asleep for nearly 3 days. Her visitors agree and are eager to fill her in on the past few days.

She is sitting up with John lounging at the foot of her bed. Teyla, Aiden, and Rodney are sitting next to the bed in chairs they stole from the lab area.

"Like I was saying." Rodney ignores Beckett and continues with his explanation. "We think that the chairs are partially powered by the person sitting in them. We don't know if the Ancients had higher levels of bioelectricity or if the chairs can sense that our remaining ZPMs are low on power. Either way, you were pretty much drained like a battery."

"Almost over-drained, I might add."

Elizabeth tries not to roll her eyes at Beckett's remark. Ford's next question saves Elizabeth from yet another admonishment from the good Dr. Beckett.

"I still don't get how Dr. Weir was able to use the chair without Major Sheppard."

"Grodin thinks that it may have something to do with wrestling for control. Whenever we've tried using the chairs before, we had two people trying to make commands. If the two people have enough control over the technology, then they can work together. If not, then the chairs don't receive the proper signals. I pretty much surrendered control to Elizabeth, so she could take command without my getting in the way."

Teyla looks up at Elizabeth. "How did you know it would work?"

"I didn't." She looks across the bed at John. "But I didn't have much choice but to try."

Sheppard's mouth curves in a cocky half-smile.

"I'm grateful." He turns to McKay. "And I thank you for sitting there like a huge Energizer Bunny."

"Hey!"

Ford laughs at McKay's indignation while he slaps him on the shoulder. Teyla, once again, looks confused.

"Well I guess it's about time we found some use for Rodney."

At Beckett's comment, they all burst out laughing. It feels nice to be happy again.

"I can see that my genius isn't appreciated here. I'm going to get something to eat." McKay storms out of the infirmary in a huff. Their laughter follows him out the door.

Ford gets up to go after him. "I'll make sure that he isn't really upset."

"I'll go with you." Teyla stands, but turns toward Elizabeth first. "It is good to see you up and awake Dr. Weir."

"Same here."

"Thank you Teyla, Aiden."

The two walk out of the infirmary at which Beckett turns to look pointedly at Sheppard. He responds with a look of pure innocence.

"What?"

"Ten minutes and then you let her rest or else she's here another day." That elicits an indignant cry from Elizabeth. "And no kidnapping my patient this time."

Sheppard turns and gives Elizabeth his standard cocky grin. He wiggles his eyebrows and motions toward the door with his head when Beckett is no longer in view.

"No. I'm not staying here another day."

"Party pooper."

John gets up to lean against the bed next to Elizabeth. He starts to play with the fingers on her hand that's resting on the mattress. Elizabeth knows that he's trying to figure out what to say. She decides to make it easy for him.

"You're welcome. I'd do it again."

"That's what I'm afraid of."

She squeezes his fingers.

"Don't worry. I don't have a death wish like some people I know."

"Beckett says I'm two of nine and that he'd kill me himself if I actually tried for the remaining seven."

"I bet that was a hard one to explain to Teyla."

"A full half hour and I think she was just humoring us in the end."

They laugh a little and neither of them realize that they're still holding hands.

"Did you guys ever figure out who shot you?"

"For now, we're assuming that it was the Callans trying to protect the ruins."

"Do we know how they got a hold of a weapon that causes damage like a Goa'uld staff weapon?"

"No. I've pretty much been keeping Bates from going back and forcing the answer out of them. But you're free to give them the go ahead once you're out of here."

"I think we'll wait until we find a way to modify the vests against those weapons first."

"Figured you'd say that."

"Do you think that McKay is right? That the ZPMs we have don't have enough power to launch the defensive weapons and shield?"

"As annoying as he is, he's usually right about that kind of thing."

"So you still have your day job."

"But next time, I'll learn to listen to your woman's intuition."

"And duck when someone is shooting at you."

"That too."

John moves his hand and brushes his knuckles across Elizabeth's cheek. She leans against his hand for a moment before he drops his hand and she sits back against the pillows. They give each other shy smiles as he steps back to walk out of the infirmary.

"I'll see you tomorrow."

"Good night."

John leaves and Elizabeth lays down on the bed. As she snuggles deeper into her pillows, she can only wonder how things will change after the events of the past few days. Her last thought is that it can only get better from here.

The End.

I hope the epilogue explains some of the questions that were floating around in the reviews. Yes, the bioelectricity bit is kind of borrowed from a certain movie, but it was the only semi-scientific thing I could think of. I'm assuming that, since Atlantis is still operational, that they have ZPMs that are just low on power.

This storyline is going way into the AU realm and I'm not sure how much I'm going to fight it. I have a story in mind that tackles the whole Simon issue, but I want to wait to see what happens in the upcoming episode "Home." Anywhoo...hope you like this one and there is definitely more to come.