Disclaimer: I think everyone gets the gist of this now. Outside of my own characters, I own no one and nothing. Admittedly, I'm planning on creating an inter dimensional portal and grabbing all those lovely, hot men from Atlantis! But that's just semantics.

Okay, this is my PoD story, so please, enjoy the changes and differences. As I've already posted in TiA, my updates will happen once a month as I try and wait for my work to even out. I'm going to be doing my best to post a little more regularly than that, but my plan is to post once a month.

So, a definition of PoD = Point of Divergence. In my mind, for the last few months, I've had two separate story arcs running around in my mind and I finally decided to write another story that would follow the one plot while Tokr'a in Atlantis followed my original one.

A warning, this chapter addresses a part of the reason that Camilla's not always so trusting and free, why she's so guarded with others. Nothing graphic, only mentions, so you have been warned.

Chapter 1: Conversion

One trip through the Gate and a super cautious Carson later, John sighed as he reclined on the stretcher, looking at Carson as the man pressed a hand to the dressing around his forearm. The Scottish doctor had seen his bleeding arm and had promptly ordered him off-duty, put Camilla in control of the Jumper and ordered everyone back to the City.

"This isn't necessary, doc," John told the doctor.

The man shook his head tersely. "Aye, it is," he said. "Ye have a serious laceration in yer arm and ye've lost a good deal of blood."

As far as John was concerned, letting Carson and his men push him to the Infirmary from the Jumper Bay was embarrassing enough, but he knew how much blood he could lose and still be functional. Mostly. He was, however, thankful, that Camilla and her brother had pulled Rodney to one side to deal with a minor 'injury' the man had received on the planet and he sighed, feeling the gurney coming to a halt.

"Alright," Carson muttered. "Let's have a look at this."

He felt the dressing being removed and John tilted his head to look at the damage, frowning slightly at the sight of the blood coating his arm. Even with the dressing applied, the amount of blood the thing could have soaked up wasn't much. There was thin layer of blood clinging to his arm, crusting and flaking already. Carson moved calmly, grabbing a swab and the man held it.

"This may hurt a wee bit," he answered.

A look at the one end not in the doctor's hand told him that it was a medical swab and he shrugged a shoulder. "I'm sure it will," he said.

Carson arched an eyebrow at him as he set to work and John just smiled at the man. While his own pain tolerances weren't anything compared to Ronon's, he still had a high threshold. Watching as Carson swabbed the area before grabbing a large piece of gauze, John calmly waited for the pain to start.

"This doesnae sting?" the doctor asked.

John shrugged a shoulder. He couldn't feel anything of what Carson was doing, but he could move his fingers easily enough.

"No," he answered.

Carson shook his head, sighing. "Well, ah ken ye have a high threshold fer pain, but this…."

The man drifted off and John frowned, looking at Beckett. "But this is what?" he asked.

The Scottish doctor didn't reply and John followed his gaze to his arm and he found his widening slightly at the sight that met him. The blood that had coated the area where Ellia had gotten him was gone. And so was the cut.

"Gone," Carson breathed.

John turned his arm slightly, trying to get a better look, trying to see where the Wraith had managed to bite him. "What?!" he said.

"The feedin' mark," Carson said. "It's completely healed."

Glancing at the man, John knew it had to be a bad thing. Humans didn't heal this fast unless something was messing with their system. He'd felt the pain and he'd seen the blood, knowing it was his own.

A-A-A-A-A-A

Martouf groaned as he raced across the walkways of Atlantis. After Ronon Dex had joined the expedition, the Tok'ra had seen the Satedan taking to running through the explored sections of the City, burning energy that the man had obviously yet to find a new way to vent after years of being a Runner.

In perhaps a subconscious effort to help the man feel more welcome in the City and amoung the members of the expedition, Martouf had taken to joining the man on his daily runs, quickly getting used to the activity. Sheppard had joined a few weeks after Ronon had officially joined and Martouf had kept an eye on everyone's positions.

In general, Ronon was in front, despite Martouf calling on all his enhancements as a Tok'ra. The Satedan usually led the race through the City, Martouf behind him and Sheppard behind the male Tok'ra. Today was different.

After Dr. Beckett had cleared Colonel Sheppard from the Infirmary – albeit with a stipulation of no off-world missions – Martouf and suggested a run as way of trying to calm everyone down after the almost needless deaths of Ellia and Zaddik. Skidding to a halt behind Ronon as they reached the starting point of the running circuit, Martouf doubled over a railing, clinging to it as his heart pounded in his chest.

Sheppard stood, almost completely unaffected of Ronon Dex, the Satedan leaning against one of the metal pillars as he panted for breath.

"I thought you said you were a Runner?" Sheppard commented.

Ronon frowned and Martouf was inclined to mimic the man as he delved into the small pack at the small of his back and drew out a bottle of water. This is certainly unusual, Lantash muttered. Usually by the time we reach this point, the good Colonel is doubled over, rasping for breath and cursing all three of us.

Martouf nodded slightly. "That's funny," Ronon grumbled as Martouf held out his water to the Satedan, seeing him take it wordlessly.

"I can usually barely keep up with the two of you," Sheppard said. "What's with you?"

Feeling a nudge, Martouf closed his eyes for a moment, feeling Kel'an calmly taking control before Lantash opened his eyes, hearing Ronon grumbling again. "What's with you?" the Satedan managed.

Lantash rolled his eye, shaking his head slightly, 'hearing' Martouf sighing in relief in the back of his mind, the aches in the man's body leaving his consciousness as the symbiote took over control. "I can assure you, Colonel, that we were not holding back," he said calmly, easing his host's breathing with ease.

Sheppard just grinned at them. "Ah, you're just both sore losers," he said. "I don't act like a jerk when the two of you beat me."

Lantash arched an eyebrow, taking back the water bottle that Ronon held out to him. "Yes, you do," the former Runner told him.

Sheppard rolled his eyes. "Okay, then we'll go around again."

Lantash did not need to ask his host, he 'heard' the groan that came from the man's thoughts and he shook his head. "I think not, Colonel," he said. "I will not garner any favour with my host if I were to do so."

Moving to take a step to the nearest stair case that led down from the walkway, Lantash found his eyes widening slightly as he started to limp and he quickly set to work, tenderly healing a strained muscle in Martouf's leg.

"Go ahead," Ronon told the Air Force Colonel as Lantash gripped onto the railings of the staircase and carefully limped down the steps as quickly as he could.

Something had clearly affected the Colonel and Lantash was 'stumped' if he knew what it was.

A-A-A-A-A-A

Cam took a moment to calm her frantically pounding heart as she spun her training bo-staff. Her hands moved calmly, with Kel'an's memories silently guiding them into the correct places. Across from her stood John. The man was covered in a light sheen of sweat, not betraying the fact that they had been sparring for the better part of the night – the two not going to bed at their usual time as John seemed to want to work out more energy than he usually had.

With the man technically off-roster as he waited for Carson's blood tests to come back in, John was no longer in direct control of the City's military wing. Now that they were back in Atlantis, Cam had happily given over her control off-world to Lorne, watching as the man calmly took the new – and temporary – responsibilities onto his already busy workload.

Feeling the warmth of filtered sunlight dancing across her skin, Cam settled herself calmly into a ready stance, watching John as she stretched her bo-staff toward his Bantos rods. While she wasn't as proficient with them as Teyla was, Cam knew the typical salute and she did her best to mimic it as she and John tapped their weapons against each other before they started fighting again.

Using her bo-staff as well as she had known Allina – Kel'an's seventh host after the sixth's short tenure – had often done, Cam reacted, doing her best to disarm the man like she had before. Keeping her feet moving, the female Tok'ra did her best to move forwards and not back, forcing memories to the back of her mind as she fought, doing her best to at least keep John at bay before she ducked under a strong blow that she knew would have landed hard against her cheek.

With her staff resting along her back, Cam looked at the man, arching an eyebrow at him. He has certainly gotten better, Kel'an commented as she slowly stood up.

Cam hummed as she spun her bo-staff and let it rest against her tattooed upper arm as she looked at the man.

"Not bad, huh?" the man asked, smiling at her even as she watched him, tilting her head as she did so.

Standing straight as she absently kicked the bottom of her staff into motion, Cam nodded. "Yes," she answered. "You're doing remarkably well."

With her back facing the window, Cam twirled her bo-staff before John came at her, attacking quickly as he tested her guard and reflexes. Cam responded in kind, doing her best to land blows, deflecting and defending where she could and attempting to throw in a few jabs, hoping to land blows before John calmly deflected them.

Cam frowned as she found herself relying more and more on Kel'an to keep the fight on level footing, feeling more and more of Kel'an's reluctantly placed block falling to one side as she called on more and more outside experience. Ducking again, Cam spun her bo-staff across her shoulders and into her other hand as she looked warily at John.

He has gotten better far too quickly, she told Kel'an. No one outside of the Tok'ra gets that good, this fast.

Kel'an hummed as Cam heaved in a breath into her starving lungs. "You've been practicing," she commented.

John shook his head. "Not really," he answered as he turned and tossed one of his Bantos rods to one side before he shifted into a ready position facing her.

Cam sighed and stood, changing her grip slightly as she spun her staff into action again before she readied herself, bringing one hand to stop at her hip as the other steadied the rest of the bo-staff in front of her. Taking a breath, Cam felt the last of the blocks on the memories, muscle memory honed by Kel'an unconscious thoughts, and experience from the hosts before her unlock in her mind, the information flooding her senses as she looked at her opponent.

Taking another breath, Cam attacked, spinning the bo-staff in front of her as she ducked down and made to attack at his feet, cursing as John seemed to see her move coming as he leapt back and to one side, out of the path of her attack before he returned the favour, deflecting and dodging her blows from there with painful ease that completely astounded the female Tok'ra.

None of her blows, elaborate or otherwise, had landed and John was stood in front of her, a small smile on his face as he calmly defeated her attacks. Seeing a sudden change in his expression, Cam didn't have any warning when he suddenly came at her, his Bantos rod pressing firmly against her throat, one of his hands on her shoulder as he pushed.

Gasping in shock as the exposed skin at the small of her back came into sudden contact with a cold wall, Cam took in a steadying breath as she looked at John, her eyes wide as she found memories just starting to skitter in front of her eyes.

"You've gotten better in a considerably short amount of time…Colonel Sheppard," she said.

The man stood in front of her, his intent gaze on her, wasn't a man she knew. The Colonel Sheppard she knew was a lot like Jack, the man a bit of a teasing, laughing presence that seemed to think that their plans would always work out in the end – ignoring any possible changes to said plan that might happen.

As much as she found herself flushing slightly at the intent gaze, she watched as he tilted his head as he continued to look at her. "You can call me John when we're off the clock," he told her calmly.

Cam felt her eyebrows lifting at that, even as she nodded – this man in front of her wasn't anyone she knew and she wasn't about to provoke him. "Of course, John," she said carefully.

His gaze was still intent on her, his eyes dark as he watched her, even as the beginning of a small smile drifted across his face. He didn't say anything and Cam swallowed reactively, slowly.

Kel'? she asked quietly.

She hated that even her own, mental, voice sounded so very weak and shaken, but Kel'an soothed her nerves calmly, pushing the memories to one side. I'm here, her symbiote replied, her tone easing her panic. I'm here and I won't let anything happen to you.

"Keep yourself focused on me," Colonel Sheppard told her, jostling her shoulder lightly and Cam winced at that, her mind jostled out of the safety of her friend. "Only on me."

Only one other had employed such a method – albeit not so 'nicely' – and the memories started to creep back in. The short burst of pain faded and the Tok'ra looked at him.

"Should we continue, or do you…?" Cam asked him, forcing herself to not let herself be dragged into the world of memories, even as she found her voice trailing off.

Kel'an was old and she had had a host of hosts before her and Cam had not been lying to Ford at what she had told him all those months ago. The Tok'ra had almost eidetic memories and remembered everything and Cam recognised the look that now stood clear as day on Colonel Sheppard's face. Before she could do anything, before she could fight or talk her way out of his grip, he'd tossed his remaining Bantos rod to one side before gripping her head firmly in his hands and pulling her close to her. He was kissing her and Cam was frozen.

His mouth was slanted hungrily over hers, demanding an answer as her frozen mind was suddenly assailed by images and memories and pain she'd never wanted to see again. A sob left her as she struggled, flailing in his arms.

She couldn't tell if she was struggling against the memories or John Sheppard, the man who was pressing his body hard against hers and she finally reacted, pushing him away with another sob. Completely forgoing any decorum or care, she raced passed him and out the door, running blindly as she relied on Kel'an to move her away from the source of her fears.

She didn't know how far she ran, leaving the gym behind her, but Cam stopped at a corner and just slid to the floor, the wall at her back as she sobbed. Not for the first time in her life, Cam cursed her eidetic memory as she rocked herself, her arms tight around her knees. The sights, the sounds, the pain and the smells of that horrible day played back to her, the memories overwhelming her as she struggled to control her body.

She shook worse than a leaf as the remembered pain tore through her, drawing quiet whimpers from her as she fought to lock the memories away. She screamed when she felt hands on her upper arms and she sobbed harder as she struggled weakly against the grip of whoever held her, even as the memories slowly started to clear.

It took time and when the memories cleared, Cam sobbed as two things quickly became clear to her. First, that Kel'an was doing her best to soothe her, the memory pain fading under gentle, soft, nerve touches of her friend. The second was that both Jonas and Danny were crouched in front of her, Jonas' hands held open and in front of her, no longer gripping her arms.

"What happened?" she heard Danny whisper and that was enough to draw another whimper from her as she started to cry again.

The last time she had broken, Jonas had waited for her to lean towards him before reacting, now, with more knowledge of her, Jonas reacted immediately, leaning forwards in his crouch and drawing her close to him.

Well aware of the fact that Kel'an had likely locked down all of her strength, Cam just clung to the Kelownan as tightly as she could, muffling her sobs into his shoulder.

A-A-A-A-A-A

Holding Camilla against him as she cried, Jonas stood carefully and slowly, doing what little he could to not startle his friend. Dr. Witcker stood up slowly beside him, her face creased in worry as she looked at the woman in his arms. As little as Jonas had been friends with her, he knew that Dr. Witcker had become Camilla's friend and he sighed, turning slightly.

"Let's get her to her office," he told the red haired woman. "I'll explain there."

With an arm wrapped carefully around Camilla's shoulders, he easily led her down the thankfully deserted corridors towards her office. Taking a breath, Jonas remembered the last time he had come across Camilla crying like she was now.

He'd been on Earth for a short while after Dr. Jackson's death and he'd entered the SGC's infirmary, intent on speaking with Dr. Fraiser about something he'd read when he'd seen the young woman crying quietly in her medical bed, a wreck from her nightmares. She'd barely trusted him then, but had relaxed in his presence enough to seek the comfort of an innocent hug. Now, with a few more years of knowing how the woman reacted, Jonas knew that something had happened to cause the memories to resurge quicker than Kel'an could possibly block.

Nodding to the sensor by the office door, the Kelownan watched as Dr. Witcker quickly unlocked the door, slipping inside before the doors could open fully before she called out.

"It's clear in here."

Jonas moved quickly, gently nudging Camilla inside and over to her desk. He gently sat her down in the comfortable chair one of the other members of the city had given to her before he looked at Dr. Witcker.

"What the hell just happened?" the woman asked him quietly as the doors slid shut.

Jonas sighed as Camilla refused to let go of him and he held onto her, offering her the comfort she obviously sought. "I don't know anything specific," he told the red haired woman she took a seat on a stool she quietly dragged closer. "But shortly after I arrived on Earth, but before you found out, Camilla went on a mission with the remaining members of SG-1. All that I was ever told or learned from others talking was that she had been tortured on that mission by Anubis and his First Prime."

Dr. Witcker nodded then, sighing quietly. "That's all she ever told me as well," she revealed. "I met her when her back was still injured; all she said when I eventually asked her was that she'd been tortured."

Jonas nodded, sighing against as Camilla seemed to finally calm down. "Send a message from her datapad, give the others in the department the next few days off," he told his fellow linguist. "Camilla doesn't need to deal with more people than she's comfortable with."

The woman nodded and scurried around the room, searching for the correct datapad. Meanwhile, Jonas just held onto Camilla, thinking over what little he knew. With everything that had happened to his friend, he knew that the word torture would never really describe the horrors she had undergone at the order of Anubis and he doubted he would ever know the full extent of what had occurred, but he could easily summarise that it was worse than what Camilla would ever admit to. That certainly left only one thing in Jonas' mind that could have affected his close friend so much.

Anubis and his First Prime are lucky that they have been dealt with, he mused. Because I doubt I'd be able to control myself.

Shaking his head, Jonas sat patiently, waiting for Camilla to calm down and for Dr. Witcker to let him know the message had been sent. The two of them would be busy for a while, but they could keep up with the translations the City needed while their friend slowly recovered away from the presence of others.

A-A-A-A-A-A

John sat calmly on a medical bed, straddling it like he had as he had when he'd spoken of Ellia to both Elizabeth and Carson. Now, Elizabeth stood next to him as they both listened to Carson, the man sitting on a stool facing him. He'd come as quickly as he could to the Infirmary, suddenly worried by the changes that had happened to him, making him far more forward with one of his closest friends than he would have ever been – probably – without what was changing inside him.

"The good news is, we can say with some certainty tha' Ellia didnae drain away any of yer life," the Doctor told them.

John rolled his eyes at that. He'd known almost as soon as it had happened that she hadn't fed off of him; he hadn't looked any older and he certainly hadn't felt any older. Or sore. Or stiff.

"We already knew that," he said.

Carson smiled slightly and nodded. "Ah suppose," he agreed.

John frowned slightly as he looked at the man. "That's the best good news you could come up with?" he asked.

Carson looked uncomfortable at that. "It looks like ye've been infected with the Iratus bug retrovirus," he said calmly. "The one we were working on to turn Ellia inta a human."

John arched an eyebrow and crossed his arms as he looked at the man. "You mean the one that didn't turn her into a human?" he asked.

"Ellia administered the treatment prematurely," Carson responded. "It wasnae ready, it wasnae even supposed t' be-"

John held his hands up and nodded. He understood self-recrimination as well as anyone else who'd gone through it and he knew what it could do to a person.

"I'm not blaming you, Doc," he said

Carson sighed and ran a hand through his hair absently. "But ye're right," he said. "The transformation was inta a creature closer to the Iratus bug than a ta a human, and I know how much you…"

John grimaced then. "…hate those bugs?" he finished.

The Scottish doctor sighed. "Aye," he answered.

Elizabeth sighed then. "But, for one ... Ellia was a Wraith," she said. "And she took a massive dose of the retrovirus. I mean, do we know how the Colonel's system might respond to the drug?"

John glanced from the head of the expedition to Carson, seeing the man shaking his head and spreading his hands. "Ah have nae idea," he answered. "It was nae engineered t' be given ta a human. It was nae intended…"

Seeing Carson heading back down the line of self-recrimination, John shook his head. "Doc…" he said, lifting his voice slightly.

"…t' be given ta anyone!" the man finished and John took a breath.

"Let it go," John told him gently.

He'd already forgiven the man for bringing the retrovirus to the planet and for anything that might happen to him. Couldn't the man see that and stop the unnecessary guilt trip?

Carson shook his head. "The problem is Ah have no idea how your body will react!" he said firmly. "Ah can nae even begin to guess."

John looked at him and wondered briefly if the Scottish doctor had given him too much information – or the real lack of it, really.

Taking a breath, John spread his hands and smiled. "Well, if how I feel is any indication? I'm fine," he told him.

He did. Though the incident with Camilla played on his mind. Not once, in all his years, had a woman cried or run from him, fear clear in her expression.

A-A-A-A-A-A

Martouf watched as McKay calmly walked around a now emptied Conference Room – according to Beckett, the other doctors and scientists had left, taking their equipment and tools with them.

"I sent Camilla a message," McKay began, "I wasn't sure about where I had read an entry about the bugs, but someone in her department sent a translation of what they'd been able to find. We have a Gate address and a list of the things that it likes; cool, damp, dark places to lay it's eggs and preferably hide in."

Martouf uncrossed his arms, looking at the scientist as he stopped pacing to lean against one of the tables in the room. "It shouldn't be that hard to locate," Lorne commented.

"Wait a minute," Dr. Weir said. "The last time we ran into one of these things, we almost lost Sheppard. How do you expect to just walk right into one of their nests?"

Martouf sighed, looking at the woman. "We have very little choice to do otherwise, Dr. Weir," he told her gently. "The treatment requires the stem cells and the only way to get them is from the Iratus bug's eggs."

"With the eggs, we actu'lly have a chance of savin' Colonel Sheppard," Beckett continued. "Without them, he'll die."

Dr. Weir seemed to sigh. "And this is the only option we have?" she asked.

Martouf nodded his agreement. "It's the only viable one that we have, Dr. Weir," he told her. "We do not have time to create another and hope it works. We have to use this one."

Lorne cleared his throat slightly from beside Martouf and the male Tok'ra watched as Dr. Weir turned to look at him. "We all understand the risks, Dr. Weir," he said. "And I believe that Colonel Sheppard would do the same for any one of us."

Martouf looked at Dr. Weir and watched as she seemed to struggle before she nodded and took a seat with a heavy sigh. "Permission granted," she said. "Get a team together."

Beckett looked at Lorne. "I need an hour t' get my things together," he said.

Lorne nodded as he leapt from his seat on the table. "Okay, gear up," he ordered. "One our."

A-A-A-A-A-A

With the information Camilla's department had given about what these Iratus bugs needed, Ronon calmly led the way through the forest to a cave he'd spotted when the Jumper had come through the Gate. It was a fair distance from where the pilot had landed the Jumper and Ronon had looked to Lorne.

The man, according to what Martouf had told him, was Sheppard's Second In Command around the base, so he was the one technically in charge of the mission. He'd waited for a nod before leading the way, following a path laid down by the planet's indigenous animals.

"So what are we looking for?" Lorne asked.

"According to the Ancient database, a cave if the most likely," Martouf spoke up. "The bugs prefer the cool darkness afforded there."

Ronon grunted, glancing over his shoulder at the two men, seeing the male Tok'ra carrying a large canister on one shoulder. "They wouldn't want their nests out in the open," he agreed. "Cave keeps the eggs away from the predators."

McKay frowned at that. "I always figured they were the predators," he said.

Ronon chuckled at that. "I guarantee there's something out here, worse," he told him.

"Really?"

Martouf chuckled then. "Dr. McKay, there is always something bigger and stronger than the current predator," he said. "The Iratus bugs are not the top of their food chain, there is something bigger that feeds on them."

McKay groaned. "Thank you," he muttered. "Thank you for that!"

Ronon shook his head with a small smile. "Welcome," he said.

He didn't need to hear Lorne's comments to pick up the pace. He was already moving quicker, faster, leading the way to the mountains.

A-A-A-A-A-A

Martouf leaned against the stone wall that made the cave mouth, feeling Lantash settling his muscles from the tenseness they'd been in on the walk up to the cave and he could already feel the strain to his calf muscles easing as he checked that his night vision goggles rested atop his head as Ronon knelt in the dirt closest to the cave mouth, examining the dirt there.

"It certainly smells like there's somethin' livin' in there," he heard Beckett commented to Lorne who had asked him something.

"Yeah," McKay agreed quietly. "Or dying."

Martouf watched as Teyla squinted before she shook her head. "I cannot see that far into the cave," she said after a moment.

With years of tracking, Martouf was only mildly disgusted as Ronon Dex lifted up a pile of bright orange waste to his nose, sniffing it cautiously before wrinkling his nose and casting the waste off.

"Oh, well, that is disgusting!" McKaysaid, horror clear in his voice.

Ronon shrugged as he wiped the most of the waste off of his hand in the clear, brown dirt. "They're in there," he said.

"And you had to pick it up and smell it to figure that out?!" McKay asked him.

Martouf snorted at that, watching as the Satedan turned to give him a look. "To know it's recent," he replied.

McKay looked astounded. "Well, how recent?"

Ronon didn't answer as Lorne gave the scientist a glare. "So," he said. "What's the plan?"

Martouf looked at Carson who held a butterfly-like catching net. "Well," he said. "We go in there, we get some eggs, and then we come out."

Lorne nodded. "Okay," he agreed. "Ronon, Teyla, you're with me. Walker, Stevens, Martouf, you take our six. Docs?" He looked at Beckett and McKay. "Just stay in the middle and try not to get bit, okay?"

"Well, maybe someone should," McKay said as he pointed to himself. "Stay out here."

"So that you're all alone when a dozen of them come stampeding out here?" Ronon asked as he stood up.

Martouf slipped his goggles on with a sigh. That comment alone would bring McKay into line and he readied himself to move, even as he settled the water canister across his back again.

"I'm in the middle," the scientist said.

Martouf nodded. "Good idea," he said.

Ronon Dex sighed. "Let's do it."

A-A-A-A-A-A

Ronon calmly led the way into the cave, doing his best to ignore the greenish hue to his vision. He drew his blaster and continued on frowning slightly at the sound that greeted him before it grew louder.

"Hear that?" he asked.

It was a loud hissing, chittering sound that greeted his hearing and Ronon heard Teyla exhale loudly. "Yes," she answered from beside him.

"Looks like we've got the right address," Lorne commented.

Ronon continued walking, leading the way through the cave's tunnels, pressing a hand to the stones every now and then, watching as the remaining dung from the bugs clung to the wall and glowed in the goggles' vision. He had a way to lead the way out and he relaxed slightly, even as he continued to walk.

The sight that greeted him as he reached the inside of the cave where the chittering was the loudest almost had Ronon whistling in mild appreciation. For all the damage the Iratus bug had caused for humans, they were in a large group here, in the cave, as almost a family group.

"Doc," Lorne called softly.

"Good God!" the Scottish doctor gasped. "I think this is it."

Ronon looked around, his hands ready on his blaster as he looked at the large sacks hanging from the ceiling a few feet in front of them. He would have walked towards one if the floor hadn't been covered in the crawling insects. It would have been easy if they weren't swarming all over the place, making it impossible to cross the room without killing one.

"So how do we wanna play this?" Lorne asked.

"They'll defend their young," Ronon told him.

He'd seen it enough times as a Runner to know that any animal would protect the young, even at a cost to their own lives.

Lorne nodded – the man may not have been a Runner, but Ronon was willing to bet that the man had seen something to make him agree.

"Maybe we should make a diversion," McKay said from where he stood behind Teyla and Lorne.

Ronon spared the man a hard look, arching an eyebrow.

"Are you volunteering?" Lorne asked him.

He seemed to shrink then. "I'll shut up," McKay offered.

"I do not think it would be possible to reach the eggs without the Iratus bugs attacking," Martouf commented, shaking his head slightly.

Beckett held up a device a Marine passed calmly to him. "Ah have this," he said, "but Ah need t' get under tha'." He pointed at the nearest egg sack with the device. "Hand me the water canister."

Martouf obliged the man, stepping towards him as he lifted the tank from his shoulder. "I remember, doctor," he said. "They dislike salt water."

Lorne looked confused and Ronon felt just as much as he watched Martouf crouch down and open the canister. "How's that going to help us?" he asked.

"Just watch," Carson told him before he looked at Martouf. "Ye min' laddie?"

Martouf chuckled in response and nodded, standing up and calmly hefting the now open canister. Ronon watched as the man carefully took a few steps forward before tossing some of the water at the creatures. The bugs didn't scream, but their chittering took on a panicked edge and he watched as they scurried away from the salt water that soaked into the ground, giving it a good space clear around the edge.

"Move quickly, doctor," Martouf said tersely. "There is not much water left in the canister."

Ronon watched as Beckett moved towards the male Tok'ra, moving slowly and he watched as Martouf splashed more water at the ground, keeping the bugs back, even as the nervous chittering slowly turned angry.

"Doc?" Lorne called, a warning tone clear in his voice.

Ronon watched as Beckett nodded. "Ah've come this far," he replied before he moved closer to the egg sack and reached towards it with the device.

It took Ronon only a second to see the Iratus bug heading towards the two and he pointed his weapon at it, the setting at kill. "Heads up!" he hollered as he fired at the bug before he watched it fall to the floor.

For the first time in a long time, Ronon wondered if he shouldn't have reacted as he had; the rest of the bugs in the cavern began to react, moving closer to Beckett, their dead companion and Martouf.

Martouf up-ended the tank, doing his best to keep the bugs back and Ronon shook his head.

"Oh God!" Beckett shouted above the angry chitterling of the Iratus bugs

"Carson!" Teyla shouted at him as the others opened fire on the bugs. "Run!"

Ronon watched as Beckett raced towards them, Martouf hot on his heels, emptying the canister as he did so – doing his best to keep the bugs back, even as Ronon opened fire on them, giving the two covering fire. He followed Lorne the moment the man turned and ran, leaving two of his men behind to give them cover fire. He raced passed the man as he ordered the two men to move before 'fire in the hole' echoed in his ears.

And not a moment too soon, Ronon mused, as he launched himself into the nearest green bush, feeling the explosive fire burning through the air before it cooled.

"I think that stopped them," he said as he got his feet under him.

"We're not stickin' around to find out," Lorne said with a groan. "I'm pulling the plug on this mission. Let's get back to the Gate."

A-A-A-A-A-A

Cam stood in the Control Room, her fingers absently drumming on her arms as she looked at screen where a message flashed. 'Biometric sensor activated' flashed for a few moments before it disappeared and an image of the city came up, showing many white dots. She watched as they disappeared and a red dot became visible.

She wasn't comfortable being outside of the safety her office afforded her – or her quarters – but she had come out to discover what was going on and why power to her office had been dropped to barely minimal levels.

"Okay," Rodney said from where he stood next to the screen, typing away on his laptop. "We've got a lock on him."

Cam moved closer to him, nodding as she felt Kel'an working through her body, heightening her senses and sight. Her gaze flickered quickly around the screen, searching for the lifesign that they needed.

At least we know that we have a way of searching for the man, Kel'an commented. He won't get close to you. Not until he's himself again.

Cam hummed absently, her arms still crossed before she smiled slightly as her gaze flickered to a red dot that raced across the screen at an incredible speed. Indeed we do, she agreed. It works and they've just found him.

"That's can't be him!" Caldwell said. "It's moving too fast."

Ronon smirked mirthlessly at him. "That's him," he told the man.

Caldwell nodded. "Alright," he said as he turned to look at the Marines. "Four teams. Surround him and close in. I want him stopped gentlemen – use whatever level of force you deem necessary." He nodded at them. "Move out."

Cam frowned at that, even as the Marines made to move out before Elizabeth turned to face them. "You will only use such force as a last resort," she told them when they had stopped.

"That's not Sheppard anymore, ma'am," Caldwell said.

Cam rolled her eyes then, shaking her head. "A Tok'ra can run just as fast, Colonel," she told him tersely. "The retrovirus in Colonel Sheppard's system means that he's working far above normal."

Elizabeth glared at Caldwell slightly before she looked back at the Marines. "You heard me," she told them.

The Marines nodded and moved out of the room, all of them holding Wraith stunners. Cam watched as Ronon started to leave before he stopped.

"You coming?" he asked Teyla.

She paused for a moment before she nodded. "Yes," she replied before she followed him out of the room.

Cam took a breath, watching as Martouf looked at her, worry clear in his expression and stance, before turned to follow after the Satedan and Athosian. The female Tok'ra heaved a sigh of relief and bowed her head. She needed to get back to her office. And preferably lock her door.

"Lock down the Stargate," Elizabeth told Rodney who nodded at her.

"Right!"

A-A-A-A-A-A

Lantash moved ahead of the group that Ronon and Teyla had joined, hefting his P-90 in one hand, a Zat'nik'tel in the other. He was not about to take any chances in recovering the man and he certainly wanted the man to be alive. He did not know what had happened to Camilla, but something Colonel Sheppard had done had affected his host's sister and he was not about to let that slide. A shot from a Zat'nik'tel would have to be enough.

"Bravo Team, you're on deck," Colonel Caldwell spoke. "Tango is right below you."

Lantash nodded, ranging ahead of the group and heading for the closest flight of stairs. While he did not have the experience with the City that Camilla and Colonel Sheppard had, Martouf had worked with the teams exploring the City and he knew enough to navigate safely.

"Stay sharp," Caldwell ordered. "He should be right in there with you."

Kel'an nodded. "Understood," she breathed.

A-A-A-A-A-A

Ronon ranged the corridors above the rest of the team. He'd heard something and he was following what his gut was telling him. He paused, hearing the sound of something climbing and he smirked. Glancing around himself, the Satedan moved down the corridor and pulled himself around one corner, taking cover as he made sure that his weapon was set to stun.

He trusted Sheppard, but the virus was in control. If there was a way of freeing the man from the virus, then he'd stun him.

A-A-A-A-A-A

Lantash cursed the improved reflexes that Sheppard had and let out a shot from his Zat'nik'tel strike him before tossing it to one side. With the design of the Zat'nik'tel in mind, Lantash was not about to try and shoot him again, only to kill him. He had to rely on his remaining weapon.

"Colonel!" he hollered, hearing his dual-tone voice echo in the large room around them. "Stand down!"

He watched as the man paused on the stairs and turned around, taking a few steps down. Lantash lifted P-90, sensing Teyla's presence beside him. "Please," the Athosian said. "Do not make us do this!"

As he kept walking, Lantash let a single bullet fly from the weapon to the step before the man. When that didn't stop him, he switched firing modes and calmly let out a stream of bullets at the next step, hearing Teyla mimic his actions. That was all that was needed to get Sheppard to turn around and race back up the stairs.

Lowering his P-90 with a muttered expletive, Lantash raced up the stairs, extending the reach of his host, taking the steps three at a time before racing across the landing after the retreating form of Colonel Sheppard.

He'd only rarely heard Ronon Dex's weapon work, but the sound was unforgettable and Lantash watched in awe as two red bolts shot from a hidden corner and struck Sheppard, sending the man skidding to his knees before collapsing in a heap with a muffled groan.

"Get the doctor down here," Ronon said, tapping his ear. "I have him."

Lantash nodded, tapping his own ear piece. "Colonel Sheppard has been captured," he said. "Dr. Beckett's presence would be gratefully accepted."

A-A-A-A-A-A

Jonas stood in between Dr. Witcker and Camilla, nursing a glass of Earth alcohol. He hadn't looked at the label, but he knew it wasn't 'vodka'. Dr. Witcker had gone for a glass of purified water while Jonas absently noticed that the female Tok'ra was sharing an earthenware mug.

The last time he had seen the two of them doing that, Jonas had discovered that the mug had contained a rather potent alcohol made by the Jaffa. The strongest drink that Jonas had had on Kelowna could not match the potency of the Jaffa-made brew and had promptly stuck to the 'weaker' versions, somehow managing to be amazed by Camilla and Martouf's ability to go unharmed drinking the alcohol.

While both he and Dr. Witcker didn't know Colonel Sheppard all that well, he had known that his friend was going to need some form of support now that the mutating Colonel had been returned to the Infirmary. She'd recovered her composure remarkably well, but he knew that only one word spoken could break it and her control.

Jonas looked up from his glass seconds later when he heard the sounds of hesitant footsteps coming towards the large balcony in the Mess Hall.

"You guys are up late," Dr. Weir commented.

McKay snorted, looking up from a bowl of jelly. "Can't you sleep either?" he asked in return.

It seemed the usual snark and confidence of everyone had been drained, taking McKay's usual barbs and weakening them to beyond harmless.

"Any progress?" Teyla Emmagan asked.

Dr. Weir shook her head. "No," she answered. "He's still in a coma. At least he isn't in any pain."

"…Maybe if I went alone, maybe…" Ronon Dex spoke up.

Dr. Weir shook her head again, her expression firm yet sad. "It's not open for discussion," she told him.

Jonas looked at Ronon Dex, seeing the man leaning against the railing, his weight settled firmly against it, even with his arms crossed over his chest. "I'm not good at sittin' still," the Satedan told her.

"I doubt anyone here is, big buy," Dr. Witcker said. "I don't know the guy and I'm about to start pulling my hair out."

Dr. Weir sighed, even as Jonas caught a glimpse of Camilla passing the earthenware mug to her brother who promptly passed it to the Satedan. "Believe me, I understand," the head of the expedition said. "I appreciate how you feel." She took a breath. "Look. We've closed down that section of the Infirmary, but if you feel the need to…"

Jonas didn't need her to finish, even as she trailed off and he nodded. He understood what wasn't being spoken. "Are we really at that point?" McKay asked. "Of saying goodbye, I mean."

Dr. Weir sighed. "I think we might be."

Without his radio active, Jonas didn't hear whatever had surprised Dr. Weir or the others, but he watched as Dr. Weir spun and walked off, heading out of the Infirmary, the others behind her. Still leaning against the railing, stunned by the sudden exodus from the Mess Hall, Jonas set his drink down.

"What just happened?"

A-A-A-A-A-A

Cam didn't manage to catch what Carson had been saying as Elizabeth raced ahead of the others as she climbed the stairs. She had caught up, with her brother, as Carson started to cross the walkway to Elizabeth's office.

"-ucing trace amounts of their signature pheromone," Carson said.

"And?" Elizabeth asked him

"When we were in the cave," Carson continued. "Those bugs knew we did nae belong there, so they did nae really fancy us getting close t' their nest."

Cam felt her eyes widening as she leaned against one of the walls in the office. "You've saying that if we can produce the pheromone artificially, then we might be able to get the Iratus bugs to ignore us?" she asked.

Carson nodded. "Aye," he replied. "Tha' would work."

"Well, that's an excellent plan, Carson!" Rodney said, a smile on his face.

There's always a hiccup with these kind of discoveries, Kel'an commented.

Carson nodded again. "Aye, Ah wish it was."

Ronon looked at him. "You can't do it in time," he said.

Carson shrugged. "Nae," he replied calmly. "It'd take days."

Cam sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. Why do you have to be right? she asked.

Just logic, Kel'an said. It took the Tok'ra weeks to create a substance that made Dr. Jackson blind to Anubis's sensors and those, after a fashion, were designed to sense certain pheromones and lifesigns.

Cam saw the other's expressions falling then. "But you said Sheppard only had twenty-four hours before the damage the retrovirus was causing him would be irreparable," Elizabeth said.

Carson reluctantly nodded. "Exactly."

"Well, then that's a terrible plan Carson!" Rodney put in.

"There's only one person on this base that wouldnae need the artificial pheromone," Carson continued explaining.

It didn't take Cam a second to understand the man's mildly cryptic words and she shook her head. "Sheppard!" Elizabeth said, her tone conveying her shock.

"He could walk right in that cave and those bugs would nae pay him any mind."

"I'm not sure if you've noticed or not, but Colonel Sheppard's not feeling very well," Rodney retorted angrily.

"He stopped taking the inhibitor we were administering," Carson replied calmly, not belying the anger that was clear to Cam. "It was able to keep him lucid."

"I thought it's effectiveness had worn off," Elizabeth pointed out.

Carson shrugged. "It has," he said. "But Ah believe if we give him another massive dose, he may be clear-headed enough t' complete the mission before we lose him completely."

"Yeah, but won't giving him that much inhibitor, like…" Rodney began and stopped before he could go any further.

The Scottish doctor nodded. "Kill him? Aye, it's a definite possibility. Even if Ah knew it was for certain, Ah'd be tempted t' offer him one last hour of lucidity."

Cam nodded in understanding, even as Elizabeth nodded her own agreement. "Do it," she said before she looked at the others. "Gear up, take him as far as the cave."

A-A-A-A-A-A

Cam stood on the balcony, watching as Atlantis' flagship team left, John leading the way, Carson and Martouf taking up the rear. Danny and Jonas stood with her, even as she leaned tiredly on the balcony.

"You think they're going to be able to do it?" Danny asked.

Cam smiled weakly, nodding. "I've seen some crazy plans work because of Sheppard," she told her friends. "Some of the craziest plans I've ever known and the man pulls it off as if he did it every day." She shook her head then. "My worry is whether or not they'll be in time to be able to save him."

A-A-A-A-A-A

SEVERAL WEEKS LATER

John calmly walked into Camilla's office, dressed casually, the base uniform hanging up in his quarters somewhere. He hoped that dressed as he was he wouldn't pose a threat to the woman inside. Stepping quietly through the maze of tables and chairs, John watched the female Tok'ra, seeing her sat at a lone desk facing the others. He also saw that she was sat in a chair that he knew Lorne had given her after one visit and a seat on a stool.

He paused silently, watching as the woman's eyes flickered between the three datapads she had on her desk, her gaze barely pausing as she looked between them. With her unaware of him for a few moments, John could see the dark circles under her eyes, the circles highlighting the bags that had appeared there as well. The pilot knew he had been the obvious cause of a lack of sleep for the woman and his heart broke just a little at how weak and tired she appeared. Her hands shook slightly and John absently noticed a dozen stained cups littering the room, the stains reminiscent of coffee stains.

Her gaze lifted then and John could have pinpointed the exact moment when her shared mind caught up to what she was seeing before she reacted, fear guiding her as she shot to her feet. With still several tables between them, John raised his hands up as Camilla reached for her Staff Weapon, hearing the ominous hum of it as she aimed at him.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded.

As much as he hands had shaken before, John was now mildly worried that he aim was so still and focused on him. "To apologise," he told her gently. "If you don't want me to come any closer, I'll stay right here."

He watched he flinch, her aim remaining true and he waited patiently. It took her several, long seconds, warring with herself and Kel'an from the look of things before she relaxed slightly, slowly lowering her aim before removing her Staff Weapon completely. Instead, she leaned against the still active weapon, resting her weight against it as she watched him.

"You're looking remarkably well," she commented eventually.

John nodded, slowly lowering his hands. "According to the last tests done, my DNA says I;m one hundred percent John Sheppard again," he told her before he twisted his right arm towards her, showing the still healing and shrinking mark to his forearm. "Although, I'm looking forward to the day when this thing finally clears up; Carson says it could take a while."

Camilla graced him with a weak smile, nodding slightly in understanding and John took a breath.

"Look," he said. "I've been cooped up in that Infirmary for weeks now, So I've had a bit of time to think, to remember."

The woman in front of him shifted before she switched her weapon off and leaned it against a wall. "About what?" she asked him, crossing her arms over her chest.

John shrugged a shoulder in response. "I did some things that one could call out of character," he said. "Some of those I should apologise for."

Camilla shifted uncomfortably in front of him, her hands moving to grip her arms tightly. "It wasn't you in the gym that day," she told him. "While I doubt I'll ever be able to forget what happened, I can forgive the actions of a man who was not entirely in control of himself."

John, while he felt some of his guilt disappearing at her forgiveness, shook his head and took a single step forwards, no more than that one step. "While the retrovirus made me act out like I did," he began when she tensed, struggling to find the right words when he needed them most, "it didn't create the feelings I had, it only emphasized them."

To his complete and utter surprise, he watched as Camilla's eyes widened, tears filling her eyes as she shook her head. She looked away from him, her hair falling in front of her face as he arms shifted to wrap around her middle, holding on tight to the flesh there as she continued to shake her head.

"Not someone like me," he heard her muttered. "You can't… not me… not someone like me."

Taking her lack of a weapon as a good sign, John moved through the maze of tables and stools until he was in front of her, taking a moment before he wrapped his arms around her. The Colonel was well aware of the strength the Tok'ra had and he was careful to not let Camilla feel trapped, even as he rested her head against his chest, under his chin.

"Why not?" he asked her quietly, holding onto her. "You're a strong-willed woman; intelligent; gifted; caring and beautiful to boot. What about those means I can't?"

The woman shook her head against his chest, her breath hiccupping slightly. "You can't," she repeated. "Not me…not damaged goods."

Hearing those words slipping from her, John tightened his embrace on her, feeling her tightening her grip on his pale shirt. "I do," he told her. "I do, in spite of that. You survived."

Camilla stilled in his arms, her body unmoving. "I was raped," she revealed quietly, her voice barely a whisper. "A lot of me died that day and… and I haven't been able to trust since then."

John shook his head. "You survived," he told her firmly. "And I want to be around to help you heal." He paused, pressing his face into her hair, smelling the sweet scent that clung to the fine strands. "You may not be the same person from before that happened, but you've gone and rebuilt yourself. You haven't let whoever it was rule your life."

He finally felt her body shaking and shivering in his arms and he heard Camilla's breathing hiccup again. He rocked her gently, holding her close as he did his best to soothe her obviously frazzled nerves. "I don't know what I have left to give," she rasped out, "so much was taken…"

John shushed her gently, shaking his head. "I'm a greedy bastard," he told her. "I'll take anything and everything you give me. I'll take it all, and only from you."

He felt Camilla finally break in his arms and John could only wonder if anyone knew the full extent of what had happened to her. He moved her towards the seat and sat down, drawing her into his arms again. Things would go smoothly, not for a while yet, but John was willing to wait and hope things worked out.

This is it. This is the first chapter of my PoD arc. I hope you all enjoyed reading. I'll be posting next month, or when I next have a chapter ready to upload, so I would love to read any reviews you all drop me. Until next time. :)