He stood at the edge of the cliff, looking out over the beautiful landscape. He rubbed his eyes wearily, and sighed. You would think he would be used to being exhausted by now; it was after all a regular occurrence since he came to the Pegasus Galaxy. However, this time the exhaustion seemed to go deeper than before. Even his bones seemed to ache.

For the last week, Dr Carson Beckett had spent every waking hour, and most of those when he should have been asleep, waging war against a nasty flu-like virus that had struck a planet with which the Athosian's traded on a regular basis. Halling had returned from a visit to the planet the previous week and had reported that a large percentage of the people were suffering from an illness. The elderly and children seemed to be worst affected.

Carson had braved a trip through the Stargate to go to help these people and had been able to devise a treatment that helped ease the symptoms and had prevented any more deaths among these gentle people. The adults had been able to shrug off the virus without much help. Rest and cough medicine had been enough to aid their recovery. The children had been another matter, and they had needed to be given a form of antibiotic that seemed to work against some of the side effects of the virus. Carson had also developed a vaccine which helped prevent the virus spreading further.

The children of this planet had particularly captured his heart. The first patient he had encountered had been a little girl with big brown eyes, and blond curls. Even though she was running a fever, and was coughing uncontrollably, she had managed to smile up at him with a look of trust in her eyes.

"Oh boy," said Rodney McKay, who was standing beside him at the time. "Now we are in trouble. You know our Carson," he said slapping his friend on the shoulder. "He never could resist a brown-eyed blonde."

John Sheppard laughed. "Just ignore him, Doc," he said slapping Carson's other shoulder. "He's just jealous."

Carson smiled at the memory. Calay, the little girl in question, was now recovering well. The makeshift isolation ward that they had set up in a cave now only had five patients left in it. His work was now almost over, and he would soon return to his home on Atlantis.

He looks out over the valley that was spread out before him. It reminded him of his other home in Scotland. The expanse of water reflected the mountains that towered over it, making them seem even more majestic. Carson could almost believe he was back home looking at Loch Lomond.

A gentle hand touched his arm. "Carson?" From the look on Teyla's face, it was obvious she had been calling him more than once.

"Sorry, love," Carson said. "I was miles away."

Teyla smiled gently. "In another galaxy?"

"Aye," he responded to, returning her smile. "You could say that." He turned to look at her an anxious look on his face. "The children are okay?"

"Yes, Carson," she said softly. "They are all responding well to your treatment. I came to tell you that Colonel Sheppard had been in contact with us. He is coming with more supplies for the people, and Dr Weir had suggested that you could perhaps benefit from a rest. She thought you could perhaps return with Colonel Sheppard to Atlantis."

"Aye, lass," Carson said with a grateful smile. "I'd like that." As he finished speaking, he started to cough. Teyla put her arm round him, a concerned look on her face.

"Carson," she said. "Are you now ill too?"

"I do feel slightly under the weather," the doctor admitted.

"But did you not to take some of the vaccine yourself?" Teyla asked.

Carson had a sheepish look on his face. "I wasn't sure if they would be enough to go around everyone," he admitted.

Teyla gave him an admonishing look. "Dr Beckett," she said. "You must learn to look after yourself as well as you look after your patients."

Carson nodded his head ruefully.

"Come now, Carson," Teyla said. "We must return to the cave, so that you can prepare yourself to return with Colonel Sheppard."

As they approached the cave, they could hear the coughing coming from the children. Even after treatment, the persistent cough seemed to remain. Carson had collected his equipment together while Teyla gave the children a soothing drink, made from local herbs, that seemed to work best to help ease their coughing. The noise of the coughing drowned out the noise of the approaching footsteps. The first that either of the adults knew of their visitors was when a harsh voice ordered them to stand.

Carson turned towards the doorway. Framed in the entrance to the cave, were six large men, all heavily armed. He glanced over at Teyla, who was already reaching for her weapon.

The man who was obviously leader of the group turned to the others. "Take the children!" he ordered the men. Jumping into action, Carson placed himself between the approaching men and the children. The man nearest to him raised his rifle and fired. Carson felt an excruciating pain in his shoulder as he fell to the ground. Trying to focus despite the pain, he did his best to get back to his feet. Another of the men turned on him and fired his weapon which stunned Carson into unconsciousness.

"Be careful, you idiot," leader said. "We need him alive."

Teyla slowly raised her weapon, but before she could fire, she herself was hit by the stunner. As she slipped into oblivion, she sent a silent plea to John Sheppard to hurry up. They needed him.