A/N: hey guys i no its been a while but having started university ive found large chunks of my time consumed by work and clubs so apologies as this has been written for quite a while its just taken me ages to type it up...

so here goes... this is not technically a chapter for this story but some people have complained that the story was not wrapped up enough and it seems i wasnt totally clear... this is actually the chapter for my new story the return of peter pan but though it would help fill in some gaps and whet your appetites as such it is not supposed to be rounded off so dont complain, just enjoy:)

Colonel John Sheppard walked down the long, nearly deserted, corridors of Atlantis grumbling all the way. "We can go faster than walk you know Ronon."

The big man just snorted and kept walking, never altering his pace.

"my legs are fine you know!" Sheppard groused. He was sick of the slow pace his physiotherapy was taking. It had been two months since the incident on P3X-595. His primary problem had been the surgical incision that ran from his chest to his navel. It had cut right through his stomach muscles in-order to access the many fragments of bullet that had littered his insides.

On the surface it looked as though he was completely healed, with pink scar tissue adorning the previous entry and exit wounds from the bullet, the burns spanning the bottom-half of his back and the various surgical incisions that had been made in order to save his life.

Beneath the surface however, was a completely different matter. His stomach muscles were still knitting back together and he had undergone yet another bout of surgery just two weeks previously to repair the tendons and ligaments in his shoulder. As a result, his steady jogs had returned to meandering walks as the sling securing his arm impeded his progress.

All Ronon said to his previous outburst was; "Doc's orders"

Sheppard sighed, he knew better than to cross Keller by defying her orders, he had after all managed to tear his stitches on at least two separate occasions in the past two months.

The injuries weren't even the worst of Sheppard's problems. It was the side-effects of the drugs he had been given, as well as the permanent implants he had involuntarily received, whilst on the planet. He now had small, round objects implanted every couple of inches along his spine, starting just below the base of his skull and finishing at his waist. The bottom one flashed rhythmically with the beating of his heart whilst the others lit up periodically indicating the amount of pain he was in or the amount of strain he was under physically.

There had been any number of times he had cursed those devices as Keller had used them to gauge how far to go with his physio – not allowing him to push himself further than she deemed necessary.

Not only that, but the cocktail of drugs that had been introduced to his system had reacted with his ATA gene and, as a result, he could now heal any injury with the slightest skin to skin contact. Most people on the base thought this was terrific but that was only because they were unaware of the effects healing another person had on Sheppard himself. The one occasion in which he had healed someone on a large scale had set him back weeks in his own healing.

"Fine" Sheppard finally said, snapping out of his contemplation "we cant jog but surely we could at least walk faster, I'm getting bored of this particular corridor."

Ronon was saved from replying as Colonel Carter approached them, a grim look on her face "Colonel, I was just coming to see you. Do you have a minute?"

"You know the last time you said that to me you proceeded to tell me that my father was dead." Carter's grim expression did not abate and Sheppard's heart fell. "Just tell me" he told her not wanting the tension to build any further.

"It's your brother, he's not dead…" the unsaid yet hung in the sir and Sam cleared her throat before continuing "He's apparently been fighting a rare form of cancer for a while now but it's matastasised and the doctors have given him less than an week… he wants to see you."

Sheppard knew that carter hated being the barer of any bad news and said immediately "I'd like to request some leave to return… home." The word home sounded foreign to him but never-the-less he said it.

"Of course Colonel Permission granted. Our next communication with earth is set for tomorrow, I think we can send you back then." They all knew the Deadalus would take far too long and Sheppard was grateful for the suggestion.

"Thank you ma'am" he said, not entirely sure how to end the conversation quickly but politely.

"I'd like to go with him" Ronon piped up. Sam had to fight the surprised look that she could feel bubbling just below the surface "I think that can be arranged." She replied battle won. "As long as Colonel Sheppard doesn't mind"

John shook his head. The last time he had been back to earth Ronon had come and it had been comforting to have someone he considered to be his best friend along for the ride. He also knew that Ronon was chafing at the bit, with Sheppard out of action the team had been on enforced down-time. Rodney had leapt at the chance to get all his minions back in a row and, while Ronon and Teyla had occasionally assisted other teams offworld things had been quiet for them. Teyla had taken the opportunity to take Torren to the new Athosian settlement offworld and Ronon had been left with far too much time on his hands.

After the sixth enlisted marine had ended up in the infirmary Keller had taken matters into her own hands; charging him with making sure Sheppard didn't stray from her strict guidelines.

"We should start getting our gear together…" John stopped as a though crossed his mind; "will I have any problems with the IOA when I get back?" he was referring to the fact that Carter had had to fight tooth and nail so that he could remain as head of Atlantis' military contingent after the IOA had expressed concerns regarding his condition and their eagerness for him to return to earth where tests could be run by impartial scientists to establish just how compromised he truly was.

"Don't worry about them" Carter told him confidently "I have friends who are willing to help out"

John didn't miss the small smile that played across her lips.

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