Imposter

Part Nine

Carson awoke to the familiar beeping of machines. He kept his eyes closed as his clouded mind sorted out the different sounds

Slowly he opened his eyes and peered cautiously around the room. As he scanned his surroundings, he was relieved to find himself in his own infirmary. The machines that beeped around him were all machines with which he was familiar. As his eyes moved around the room they landed on the figure seated next to him.

John leaned forward and he caught the doctor's eye. As John's face came into clear focus, he smiled warmly down at Carson. "Hey, Carson! Welcome home, we really missed you."

Carson couldn't help but smile shyly back. "Thanks, John, I missed all of ye, too."

"We never dreamed of bringing you home again. When we thought you were the clone, we were just happy to have a piece of you, but to have you home again – in the flesh – we are just are so…" John's voice drifted off as he fought back his emotions.

"John, lad, are ye getting teary-eyed on me?" Carson grinned at his friend but hid his own battle with his emotions.

John laughed and wiped away the moisture which had gathered in his eyes. "Anyway, there are hundreds of people who are excited to welcome you home to Atlantis, so if you thought people were making a fuss before, lookout, my friend."

"I'm not sure how much more fussing I can take," Carson said with a laugh, even while his eyes drooped sleepily.

"I would ask you to tell me what happened, what you remember, however, you look like you're still exhausted," John said placing a hand on Carson's arm. "I know Biro has you on the good stuff. The shoe is on the other foot now, Carson. So take the enforced rest, and get well for us."

∞SGA∞

Carson awoke the second time to the sound of soft voices. Carson kept his eyes closed as his clouded mind became aware of the individual words.

"You cheated!" Rodney's whispered loudly. "I don't know how yet, but I'm gonna figure it out."

"Rodney, why would I cheat at gin rummy? What's my motivation? It's not like we're playing for money," John's voice sounded amused yet frustrated. "Now if we were playing poker – you want to play poker?" John sounded hopeful.

"Are you kidding? You think I don't know you have incredible luck at that game," Rodney snorted, stressing the word 'luck' sarcastically. "No one who plays with you comes close to winning."

"Do you call that whispering, Rodney?" John muttered. "Biro said we could only stay if we are quiet and that means not waking Carson up. So keep it down."

Rodney rolled his eyes before glancing over at Carson. The slight smile on Carson's face must have given him away. "Too late, I think he is already awake and just pretending to sleep."

Carson slowly opened his eyes and scanned the familiar surroundings before meeting Rodney's gaze. Rodney sat on the bed next to Carson's, his legs folded in front of him. John sat on a chair between the two beds, the cards on rolling cart next to them.

"Good morning, doc," John said cheerfully, gathering up the cards, "Or should I say Goodnight, since it's the middle of the night."

"Yeah, Carson. I had a concussion, Teyla was almost choked to death, yet you're the one getting babied by the witch doctor," Rodney glanced over his shoulder to see if he could see her before continuing. "We thought you had become sleeping beauty."

"Rodney, shut up!" John replied, giving the scientist a glare before turning to give Carson another smile. "Anyway, Rodney and I just wanted to make sure you woke up to a friendly face. Unfortunately, I couldn't get Rodney to leave, so I'm the only friendly face."

"Funny, flyboy! Carson knows I'm the best friend he has here," Rodney sneered. "We saved you some food, Carson, in case you were hungry, and we'd be happy to deal you in."

Carson gave them both a dimpled smile before pushing himself up in his bed. "I could go for some water," Carson said in a scratchy voice. Rodney turned to pour a glass of water while John used the button on the bed to tilt it up.

"One of you should probably let Dr. Biro know I'm awake," Carson said, accepting the cup from Rodney. "If you are recovering from a concussion, should you be up and about, lad?"

"Hey, you may be my doctor, but right now you're a patient," Rodney said, stealing John's seat while John was out of the room alerting Biro.

John and Rodney waited outside while Biro checked over her patient. As the pathologist left the curtained area, she gave the two men a stern look. "Don't push him too hard, he's had a rough few days."

Rodney resisted the urge to stick his tongue out at her before pushing past John and into the room. Carson sat up in his bed and watched as Rodney grabbed the nearest seat. John just shook his head as he dragged a chair from across the room to the other side of Carson's bed.

"So, Carson, can we now hear what happened to you?" John asked. "We've gotten Teyla's and Rodney's versions, however, there are a couple of points where both of them were out of it. Who killed the wraith queen, and who healed you?"

Carson's smile faded a little as he met the colonel's gaze. "Michael," he stated simply. "I had lost a lot of blood from my shoulder wound. I would have died quickly from loss of blood despite the queen beginning to feed. I was not aware of Michael arriving, and he fought with the queen, stabbing her in the chest. He wanted me to beg, but I refused. I don't know exactly what I said to him, but instead of feeding on me, he healed me. Then he left, leaving us alone."

"Just like that? He healed you and just walked out?" John's voice sounded doubtful as he leaned forward and locked eyes with Carson.

"Yes, just like that. Michael still has moments of humanism. This was one of those moments. I saw it in his eyes as he pulled his hand away. Michael can still be human." Michael's voice and final words echoed in Carson's mind, but he couldn't find the strength to repeat them to John and Rodney. We were even: you hurt me, I hurt you. But now you owe me! And I will not forget to collect on that Carson Beckett. Somehow Carson knew it wouldn't be long before Michael returned to collect.

∞SGA∞

"And…Carson, you look different with you hair gone," Traysha said, reaching her hand up to grab Carson's. "But now it sticks up in the air, kind of like Colonel John's."

Carson self-consciously ran a hand through the short spikes that now topped his head. "Well, lass, it's hard to work with long hair, keeps getting in me eyes. It's not quite the look I was going for, but I guess it's how I've worn my hair for sometime now."

"Well, I guess we'll get used to it," she replied with a lopsided smile. "Can we play with Radek?"

"I'm not sure that he has time right now, love," Carson said giving her hand a squeeze. "Maybe later, you, Brador and I can play catch on the north balcony. Or maybe I could teach you two to play football."

"Football? With the pointed ball where people jump on each other? I don't want to play that. It looks mean," Traysha made a face at him.

"I want to play! Maybe the colonel will play with us!" Brador jumped up and down excitedly at the thought.

"Nooo, real football! Where you play on a big field, with a round ball and you don't use your hands," Carson laughed, watching the children's faces. Traysha's brightened while Brador looked unhappy. "I am sure we could get Radek to play, maybe Rodney, too. Brador, lad, if you asked the colonel nicely, I'm sure he'd stoop to playing what he calls 'soccer.'"

Traysha was now the excited one, giving her brother a happy hug. The two children bounced happily down the corridor beside him as he led them to the mess hall. It wasn't long before the children had cornered the three men, begging them to play 'real football' with them. Carson smiled at the glare John shot him at the children's innocent choice of words. But all three agreed to meet them on the observation deck after dinner.

Carson smiled as he watched his loved ones. Traysha climbed onto Radek's lap, while John stole Rodney's blue Jell-o cup and tossed it to Brador. The boy took off with dessert and the scientist close behind. Brador hid behind Carson, laughing as Rodney made a grab at him before tossing the cup back to John. I can't imagine my life any different. Carson smiled happily before the shadow clouded his mind and Michael's voice shattered the warm moment. "Watch for me to collect. When I do, you remember this moment."

The End

THIS WAS WRITTEN BEFORE TPTB WROTE KINDRED 1&2 (at least I think so)
I hope that you like this take on how Carson comes home.

Feedback is appreciated.