Heart's Desire

Chapter 1

By Allykat D.

Usual disclaimers apply.

Writer's note: Here's my very first Stargate Atlantis fic. I've fallen in love with this show and plot bunnies attack. They're cruel and relentless little furry things. Lot's of Sparky goodness here. Thank you to Tria for volunteering to beta this. Enjoy and be sure to tell me what you think.

Update note: Since Tria's beta, I've added a lot to the first two chapters. Until this fic is completely finished, I'll be tweaking it and adding to all chapters.

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

Name: Heart's Desire

Pairings: Mostly Sparky (Shweir), some Carson and Cadman and maybe Rodney with someone.

Rating: Probably PG-13 for now.

Genre: Romantic comedy

Tagline: Sheppard begins hallucinating after he activates a mysterious orb made by the Ancients. Only problem is, close proximity to Elizabeth appears to induce these visions. Is the orb trying to tell him something?

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

Sheppard looked around, P90 held ready across his chest, as he followed Rodney's team. Ronon flanked him to his left.

"It's different down here," Ronon commented. "Other than the corridors smelling like moldy clothes."

"As long as we don't catch anything deadly or find something hungry and nasty I'm okay with musty," Sheppard said. So far, this entire area of the city seemed more… upscale… if he could call it that. Walls were decorated with frescos of the Ancient's society. Windows held lavish stained glass and sunlight sparkling through the panes cast brilliant rainbows on the floors and walls.

A door to his right swished open and Sheppard stopped. He peered inside but other than a silhouette of what looked to be a desk, couldn't see anything.

"Ronon, you go ahead, I'm going to check this out."

Ronon nodded and continued on.

Sheppard entered cautiously, weapon up at ready, his eyes darting for any threat. The lights hummed on, soft and soothing. Not a very threatening room. Maybe an office of some kind? Sheppard relaxed his guard a bit. In fact, he realized, the room itself seemed to emit a restful, calm aura. Odd. But nice.

To one side of the room sat a desk with a few objects on it. Sheppard walked over. A round orb resembling a large green and blue marble rested on a fancy wooden plinth next to a nude female carved in some kind of stone. At the corner of the desk lay a few cubes of black metallic rock. They looked like dice. Wishful thinking, Sheppard thought. The Ancients didn't seem the gambling type. He had to wonder if they had any human foibles. A sound at the doorway caught his attention. Rodney.

Rodney stopped in the middle of the room and gazed around. "Hm. Interesting. It looks different from the other rooms." He spied Sheppard hovering over the desk. "I'll need to examine everything here, so don't touch—-"

"This is kinda cool. It reminds me of a marble I had when I was a kid." Sheppard plucked the blue-green orb off its fancy wooden pedestal. A light came on inside, glowing faintly and a warmth flooded his body, almost like a quick immersion in a hot tub. It felt…. good. He folded his hand around the marble and another streamer of warmth wound its way to his head and down to his feet. He closed his eyes as a pleasing lethargy stole over him, and for the first time in a long time, he felt very at peace with himself and his surroundings.

"I told you not to touch anything!" Rodney made a beeline to Sheppard and stared at the glowing orb in his hand. "What just happened?"

"Nothing happened." Sheppard opened his eyes and looked at the marble in his hand. It was still glowing, still warm, still sending out tendrils of peace and calm.

"Hmm, look at that. Glowing device made by the Ancients. That qualifies as something happening. And I saw your expression. You looked startled."

Sheppard shrugged. "Just… it feels warm. Nothing bad."

Rodney glared. "Do I have to remind you that some of the Ancient's technology isn't all benign?"

"It's not dangerous."

"And you know that how? You've suddenly become our foremost expert in Ancient's technology? Ah," Rodney said as one of his assistants walked into the room. "Bag. Gloves."

The assistant took out a bag and a rubber glove. Rodney pulled on the glove and held out his hand.

Sheppard reluctantly handed him the marble. "If it checks out, I want it back."

"Fine, but until then, I want to make certain it doesn't turn you into a wraith or something."

"Or something..." Sheppard muttered.

Ronon walked in. "Everyone okay in here?"

"Yes, unless you count Sheppard touching--" Rodney began.

"What's this?" Ronon picked up the stone carving of the voluptuous naked woman. His eyes lit up. "Interesting. I like it."

"You would." Rodney yanked it out of his hand and passed it to his assistant. "Stop touching! How many times do people have to contract mortal diseases and die horrible painful deaths before we learn not to touch! What are we? First graders?"

"What's a first grader?" Ronon asked.

"Why does that question not surprise me," Rodney muttered, disgusted. With a gloved hand he plunked one of the metallic stone cubes off the desk.

"So what do you think this place was?" Sheppard asked, looking over Rodney's shoulder. Ronon joined him.

Rodney pursed his lips in irritation. "It's a room, Colonel. What do you think? I share a Vulcan mind meld with the long dead Ancients? I don't know and I won't know unless I have time to study the objects without you touching them!" He looked up and glared at the two men hovering above him. He snorted in irritation. "It's impossible to get anything meaningful accomplished with Conan and Kirk breathing down my neck. Do something useful and see to the rest of the team."

Sheppard leaned over Rodney. "I want my marble back when you're done."

"Yes, well, I'd give you more marbles if I had them because it certainly seems like you've lost all of yours."

Ronon and Sheppard walked out of the room.

"Half the time I don't know what he's talking about," Ronon commented.

"I wouldn't worry too much, most of us feel the same way. Sometimes when people are really smart like Rodney, it hurts their heads."

"Truly."

"Well maybe not always, but in Rodney's case, it's probably true."

"I know if my head hurt, I'd be grumpy." Ronon said. "What's a Vulcan?"

"It's a show on TV."

"You mean that box."

"The box."

"So the Vulcan is a show on the box. Like football."

"Football isn't a show, it's a sport that shown on the box. The Vulcan is an alien on a show on the box." Sheppard said. He turned and found Rodney, look of sheer amazement on his face, staring between the two of them like he was watching a ping pong ball match.

"Not so oddly, the stooges come to mind at this very moment. Excuse me." Rodney brushed by them, then stopped, turned. "Stay here. Guard room. Don't go in. Don't touch. Simple enough?"

(End of Chapter 1)