Hello friends! After a terrible round of writers block, I'm back with a LONG update!

Happy Reading!

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Echoes
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As promised, it took a couple weeks for things to get back to normal on Atlantis. Once they had all the personnel returned, things were able to settle into a fairly regular routine. Kai worked either in the lab with Zelenka or the jumper bay. She sparred with Teyla or Ronon, but things weren't normal. Not really. The Bond was distracting, and despite John being close enough for it to not be painful, she wasn't sleeping well. It was too easy to become complacent and let down her guard, and as soon as she did the Bond would flare open whether she wanted it to or not. Somehow fighting the Bond was even worse then the emptiness of its absence. It made her tense and irritable.

Kai was working in the jumper bay when Jumper 3 returned from a short run to the main lane. John was the pilot of course. He had ferried Zelenka and Ronon to the main land the day before and had returned to pick them up. It had been an odd choice for John to run such a mundane mission, but Kai wasn't about to engage him just to question it.

Zelenka had some tests he wanted to run using ground penetrating radar and Ronon had used the opportunity to escort him as an impromptu hunting trip. Kai wasn't certain the Satedan was going to be happy with the results of trying to hunt while Zelenka worked, but no one had asked her opinion. With Ronon willing to go with him as escort and backup Kai didn't have to.

John set the jumper down in its usual spot and the three of them disembarked. Ronon shoved past the other two, stomping angrily out of the bay. Kai turned and watched him go. She wasn't sure if she had ever seen him that worked up outside of a combat situation. Any normal time she would have turned to John...Colonel Sheppard, with a quirked brow. Instead, she sank her teeth into the inside of her cheek and looked down, fighting to appear focused on her work when the Bond strained like a living thing with him so close.

"Kai," Zelenka said, coming towards her.

Kai turned to Zelenka, relieved for the distraction.

"There seems to be an issue with the navigation system," Zelenka said thoughtfully.

Kai frowned and risked a glance towards Sheppard. He seemed to be trying his best to remain unobtrusive, but stood close enough to be part of the conversation.

"It appears to be off by nearly 40 degrees," John told her.

Kai didn't contain her surprise. Forty degrees was a significant fluxuation. "I'll take a look," she promised. She picked up her tablet and made a note of the issue. She also filed a ground order for the jumper. It would be incredibly dangerous to fly without an accurate navigation system.

The others left and Kai went to work diagnosing the problem. She worked most of the evening and it was late into the night before she finally gave up and admitted defeat. No matter what tests she ran and what scenarios she put into the program she couldn't find what had caused the navigation issue. Perhaps tomorrow she would take it out herself and see if she could replicate the problem. She packed away her tools and headed for the hall. She had missed dinner, but was too tired to care.

The halls were quiet as she made her way towards her quarters. She came around the corner and saw Teyla standing perfectly still in the middle of the hall with her back to her. Teyla tipped her head as though she were looking at something in front of her, although Kai couldn't see, hear, or smell anything else in the hall.

"I'm sorry I do not understand," Teyla said, then she flinched and looked down at herself in surprise.

Kai jerked as a flash of pain made her vision dim for a second in the same moment. She dropped to her knee gasping and suddenly Teyla was there, resting a hand on her back.

"Kai, are you alright?" Teyla asked in a worried tone, although her eyes quickly flashed to look around them as though there were someone else on the hallway.

"What just happened?" Kai asked. She shook her head and it was like clearing the pins and needles feeling of a limb falling asleep. She straightened and blinked a few times, she was still breathing hard but the feeling dissipated quickly.

Once sure Kai was well, Teyla looked around frantically. "Did you see her?" Teyla asked her tone urgent.

"I saw no one," Kai told her earnestly. "When I came around the corner it looked as though you were watching someone, I heard you speak and then..." she shook her head. "Something happened...pain."

"Are you still feeling unwell?" Teyla asked, her brown eyes soft with concern.

Kai shook her head. "I'm fine, probably I just need some sleep."

Teyla nodded although she looked shaken. "Yes," she agreed and the two of them walked together towards their living quarters.

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Kai woke the next day with a low level headache. It wasn't terrible, but it was just persistent enough be distracting. She met Ronon and Teyla in the gym. The two of them were sparing. Feeling a little off, Kai opted to work out alone instead of taking a turn. The two of them were laughing and joking as they finished up.

"Would you care to join us for breakfast?" Teyla asked.

Kai shook her head as she followed them out of the gym. "I have some things to finish up in the jumper bay before I meet with Zelenka for my shift in the lab."

They turned down the hall Kai had encountered Teyla last night. Teyla froze once more, standing in nearly the same spot.

"Hey," Ronon said. "What's wrong?"

"That woman," Teyla said breathlessly.

Pain flashed through Kai's head like a blade in nearly the same moment. She staggered and Ronon turned away from Teyla to steady Kai. His hand was still lingering on her arm when they turned to see Teyla run down the hall away from them.

"Teyla?" Ronon called to her but she flinched back from the closed transporter door, stumbling over her feet in terror.

As quickly as it started, Kai's pain subsided once more as though there was a switch turning it on and off. She pulled lightly away from Ronon and he let her go, although he glanced at her in concern, before turning back to Teyla. He didn't seem able to decide which of them he should be more worried about. Without a better idea, he led them both to the infirmary, refusing to take no for an answer when they tried to argue.

Kai underwent the scan first, then Teyla. Weir arrived shortly after Teyla's scan. She and Beckett listened to Kai's crisp explanation of when the pain started and stopped. Then they turned to Teyla who explained that she could see an apparition of a woman, perhaps an Ancient.

Beckett blew out a frustrated sigh as the results showed up on his tablet. "Just like with Kai, there is no sign of any physical abnormality."

"Well we've seen devices that can mess with people's minds," Ronon pointed out. "That wraith one made your head hurt too," he said pointing at Kai.

Beckett turned back to Kai, a thoughtful expression on his face. "He's right, although there is always corresponding neural activity to indicate a problem. At this time, unfortunately, there is no physiological reasons for Teyla's hallucinations." He turned to Kai with a frown. "And you haven't felt the pain since?" he asked.

Kai shook her head. "Once last night and then again this morning."

"While coincidental, there is no guarantee Kai's pain is connected to Teyla's visions. Kai said she had been experiencing a headache since she awoke. It's possible Teyla's visions are isolated instances and not physiologically related."

Weir's face was pinched up thoughtfully, but she didn't look entirely convinced. "If there's no physiological reason, why did she see what she saw?" she asked. "As Ronon pointed out, Kai experienced similar pain on M1B-129. It was a result of a Wraith device."

"But that didn't come and go," Beckett pointed out. "And the rest of us were effected by it. I'm not sure what's happening," he said gravely.

Teyla sat up with a frown. "Many ancestors died here recently. During the Replicator invasion the entire crew of the Tria was murdered. Perhaps they attempted to ascend but were somehow prevented from fully doing so, trapped between this plane of existence and the next."

"You mean...ghosts?" Weir asked with a disbeliving look.

"You ask me, too much meditation," Ronon teased lightly but his eyes were still worried as he watched Teyla. He didn't exactly hover, but he was leaning against the wall near her bed with his arms crossed over his chest.

Beckett looked back and forth between the women. He honestly hadn't the faintest what was happening, but knowing Atlantis, if they waited a little while, things would soon reveal themselves. "I want both of you to take some time off, get some rest. We all have been running ragged since we got back. There's enough staff to cover everything now. Report to me immediately if either of your symptoms return," he said sternly.

Teyla and Kai nodded. Ronon stepped up and escorted them both out of the infirmary. Weir followed a moment later, trailing behind them with a thoughtful expression on her face. She turned a corner and Colonel Sheppard fell into step beside her, making her jump.

"How are they?" John asked. He hated this. Hated that he couldn't go and check on Kai himself. But she wouldn't appreciate him showing up, not when there wasn't an official reason. True he could have used Teyla as an excuse, but everyone in the room would have seen straight through that.

"I'm not sure," Elizabeth replied. "We've all been through a lot. Carson isn't sure what is causing it, perhaps stress. Teyla seems to be experiencing hallucinations. Kai, flashes of intense pain."

John's brows pulled down. "Kai is describing them as intense pain?" He asked.

Elizabeth shook her head. "She said she experienced mild discomfort from pain. I inferred."

John breathed in a deep breath and nodded. "Probably a safe assumption," he agreed, relaxing visibly. For Kai to describe something as being intense pain meant debilitating pain for most people. Mild discomfort meant a reasonable amount of pain, although he wasn't happy to hear about either.

"The two of them are going to rest now. Carson wants them to take time off, although we both know how well Kai follows instructions. I'm going to recommend neither one of them go off World until we have an explanation," Elizabeth said decisively.

"Good idea," John agreed, although he seemed distracted as he worried about Kai.

"There you are!" an enthusiastic McKay called stomping towards Weir and Sheppard.

"Rodney, I told you-" Elizabeth started to say, but McKay cut her off.

"Oh no, not you, Sheppard."

"Thank you," Elizabeth said a little ironically.

"Oh, not that I don't want to talk to you," he said looking back and forth between them as he seemed to realize his social misstep. "Or that you can't be a part of this conversation, in fact I think you'll probably find it every bit as interesting-"

"What were you saying?" Sheppard asked impatiently. His worry made his voice sharper than he intended. Rodney didn't deserve it and he immediately felt bad. He turned his attention to his friend, welcoming the distraction. There was nothing he could do for Kai right now.

McKay exhaled in relief at being given the out and flipped his tablet up to show his finding. "Check it out," he said triumphantly. "Found it in the ancient database, they have a whole subsection on indigenous Lantian animal life," he said showing them the information on what looked very similar to a whale from earth. He turned to Sheppard. "Did you know there was a lobster-like crustacean down there the size of a Buick?"

Elizabeth made an interested noise. "And what is that?" she asked pointing towards McKay's screen.

"That's Rodney's whale friend," Sheppard said with a hint of mockery in his tone.

"Ah, but not actually a whale. Whale-like, but not a mammal. It's a fish. A big, big fish."

"Did the Ancients have a name for it?" John asked curiously.

"Yeah," McKay said and his excitement faded a little. "Flagecallus." John arched his brows and McKay nodded. "I know, they were terrible at naming things. I've just um...I've just called it whale for now."

"And why are you studying this?" Elizabeth asked in confusion. Rodney had a lot of PhD's and even more degrees but none of them had anything to do with Astrozoology.

"Oh, because he's out there right now, circling the city," McKay said brightly. "Sheppard and I saw him. Probably the very same whale who saved me last year when I was trapped in that submerged jumper."

Sheppard scowled. "I thought Zian and I saved you."

McKay sort of shrugged. "Well, you did, technically, but only after Sam led you to me."

Elizabeth and Sheppard tensed at the same moment. "Sam?" Elizabeth asked, beating Sheppard to asking about the name.

"It's the whale," Rodney said. "I named him after Samantha Carter, personal reasons."

"You named him after Samantha Carter," John clarified.

"Well Sam is a boys name too," McKay shot back childishly.

Elizbaeth's face was pulled up as though she couldn't believe she was actually about to ask her question. "And how do you know he's a he?"

"Oh, because I crossreferenced the rendering in the database with the whale outside and you'll see the males have a rather prominent-" he started to point out on the tablet.

"No, it's okay, I'll take your word for it," Elizabeth said exhaustedly. She shook her head. "I trust this little diversion isn't cutting into your work time," she said pointedly.

"Oh no, no, no, of course not. I'm just dabbling in my free time."

"All right then boys, dabble away," Elizabeth said patting McKay on the shoulder. She hesitated and looked back at the Colonel. Even though he was smiling and giving McKay his full attention, she could see the lines of worry around his eyes. "If I hear anything more John, I'll let you know," she promised him and then she moved away down the hall to get back to work.

John nodded in appreciation. He hated keeping his distance from Kai, but he appreciated Elizabeth's understanding about his worry for her. Once Elizabeth was out of earshot Sheppard turned back to McKay. "So these whales. Did the Ancients say if they were good eating?" he asked hopefully.

"Oh you wouldn't," McKay said in disgust.

"I would," Sheppard contradicted him and flashed his friend a smile.

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That night Kai went down to the lab to finish up some work. Despite Beckett's advisement, Kai couldn't just stop working, she had too much to do. She and Zelenka had been playing catch up since the last of the personnel had finally arrived on Atlantis. Having the city run with so few responsible for her upkeep had led to a backlog of projects. Some of which had actually been fixed by the industrious Replicators. However, in their repairs, the Replicators often hadn't accounted for biological individuals populating the city again and they were forced to backtrace any repairs and ensure they would be compatible with the cities mostly human inhabitants.

Kai was running through the reports that came in from several of the teams who had been working that day. Radek often took care of the reports, but he was busy and behind and after resting in her quarters for a couple hours she couldn't stand not doing something.

She reached for her tablet when a pounding began in her temples. She pinched her eyes shut against the sudden onslaught of pain. It didn't immediately subside as it had before, instead it intensified, until it cut like a knife through her subconscious. She grimaced and brought her hand up to cup her head, pinching the bridge of her nose. She felt wetness on her face and when she lowered her hand, it came back with blood on her finger tips.

She stood and snatching up a rag, staunched the blood coming from her nose. It bled for almost five minutes before the wave of pain subsided. Deciding Beckett might be right about needing rest, Kai returned to her room, washed her face and went to bed.

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The next day the sudden onslaught of pain happened several times but the length was short and Kai was able to move past it rather quickly. She considered going back to Beckett, but he hadn't found anything the last time she was there so she didn't see why that should have been any different this time.

Kai found Teyla in the mess hall around lunch time. She sat down at her table with her tray. Teyla looked as exhausted as Kai felt and Ronon was hovering close.

"I've been speaking with Doctor Heightmeyer," Teyla told her. "It turns out Doctor Weir has also been visited by the apparitions."

"When?" Kai asked, taking a bite of her soup.

"I experienced a sighting last night, and Doctor Weir-"

"This morning?" Kai asked.

Teyla nodded.

"I take it the headaches are back," Ronon said, arching a brow in Kai's direction.

Kai nodded. "The longer sighting last night was much worse than it has been."

"Perhaps you should visit Doctor Beckett once more," Teyla suggested gently.

Kai shook her head. "There was no evidence for what was happening other than the pain I experienced. If it changes again, I'll go see him," she promised her friend. "I should get back to work," she said, excusing herself.

"I thought you were supposed to be taking time off," Ronon called after her.

Kai arched a challenging brow and jerked her chin towards Teyla. "You can't watch both of us."

"No, but I could tell Sheppard."

Kai's eyes darkened. "You wouldn't," she snapped, feeling a slight sting of betrayal.

"Wouldn't I?" Ronon challenged.

Kai huffed out an indignant sigh. "I'll head to my quarters to rest."

Ronon smirked triumphantly as she left the mess hall.

"You shouldn't have said that," Teyla admonished him gently.

"Why not? She's not taking care of herself and he's the only one she ever listened to."

"Because of what's going on with them," Teyla said in a gentle voice. "They aren't together and we shouldn't make them feel like we are choosing sides or pressuring them. We are both of their friends."

"Course we are," Ronon agreed. "But I am pressuring them. No sense in trying to hide it. They love each other. It's dumb that they aren't together."

Teyla sighed but since she agreed with him she didn't bother arguing.

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"Ah, there you are," McKay said as Sheppard came into his lab. "I've been monitoring Sam on the underwater scanner..."'

"Stop calling him that," Sheppard said with a grimace.

"Why?" McKay asked indignantly.

"It's creepy."

"No it's not," McKay said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Look, here he is circling the city. He's been doing this for a while. He won't leave."

"You didn't feed him, did you?" Sheppard asked suspicious of McKay's attachment to his fish.

"What? No. Look, now if I widen the scan..."

"Another whale," Sheppard said staring down at the read out.

"Yeah, probably the mother."

"That guy is the size of a football field," Sheppard said with a frown.

"A canadian football field," McKay agreed.

"So, the first one was a baby...hey," John said after a moment. "Wanna take a closer look?"

McKay looked stunned but followed after Sheppard. "Can we?" he asked.

"Sure," Sheppard said. "We're both off duty."

They walked into the jumper bay. John was only a little tense at the prospect of running into Kai. There was no one in sight however. He stepped over to the terminal and checked the log for which jumpers were operational and available and then headed for jumper 3.

He almost flinched when he came around the corner and came face to face with Kai who was working on her tablet that was plugged into the control crystal tray.

"Kai," he said, his voice slightly hoarse. "I didn't know anyone was here. I thought you were taking time off."

"Colonel," she said with a sharp nod, only looking slightly guilty at being caught working. "Do you need to use the jumper?" she asked, ignoring his comment. She had thought she had avoided Ronon, but now she was suspicious if he was behind Sheppard's sudden appearance.

"Yeah, gonna check out some whales. Rodney's on the way, he's taking some Dramamine, but we can take another jumper."

"You should exercise caution," Kai told him formally. "I haven't solidified the issue with the navigation. I can't guarantee it is not endemic in the other jumpers as well."

"Well, we won't go far," he told her. "We'll stay in sight of the city. Plus you'll be tracking us, right?" he asked with a gleam in his eye.

Kai narrowed her gaze at him. Of course she had intended to track him. With the chance of there being an issue with the navigation she never would have let him leave without tracking the jumper. Not that she had been prepared to tell him that, in fact, now that he suggested it she bit back the urge to rebel.

"Radek is in the control room," Sheppard said after letting the moment hang in the air between them.

Kai pushed herself up on her tiptoes to disconnect the wires. Sheppard reached over her and did it for her. She immediately stepped away, putting distance between them. Kai sniffed and turned to leave the jumper refusing to allow him to see how tense his close proximity had made her. She wasn't prepared to be near him when it was just the two of them. She moved to step around him and a sharp spike of pain in her head made her stumble. John reached for her to steady her, but in her haste to avoid being touched by him she tripped and went to her knee.

"Kai," John said. He knelt beside her, a hand on her back.

Kai went stiff beneath his gentle touch, trying to block the Bond that was greedy for the attention from it's mate, but with him so close and fighting the pain in her head she couldn't manage to keep him closed out. She could feel his worry and knew he would feel her pain. She moved to stand and he helped her, his hands gentle.

"I'm fine," she told him taking a step back.

"You're bleeding," he said with a concerned frown.

Kai reached up, and there was once again blood on her fingers. "Just a nose bleed," she told him. "Nothing to be concerned about."

"Elizabeth said you went to see Beckett," John said. "Maybe you need to be checked out again."

"Nothing to concern yourself about," she told him briskly and all but fled the jumper bay.

John exhaled, feeling like beating his head against the wall. He wanted to follow her. To chase her down and make her go see Beckett to ensure she was okay, but he couldn't. That wasn't his job, not anymore. He had screwed that up and until Kai decided to forgive him, he had promised to give her that space she asked for. The space she had said she needed or she would leave Atlantis to avoid him. It was hard. Harder than he had first imagined to leave her be, especially when she was in pain, but he would respect her decision if nothing else than to ensure she didn't leave him.

Rodney entered the jumper bay in that moment. "What's wrong with you?" he asked briskly, with little to no care to know the answer.

"Kai," he said.

Rodney made a noncommittal noise and took his seat on the jumper. John and Kai drama was old news as far as he was concerned. He was sure they would work out their problems eventually. They had to. Rodney didn't believe in things like fate or soul mates, and he was no expert on relationships, but he had seen both of his friends the happiest they had ever been when they were together. It was stupid for them to be holding onto whatever silly thing had driven such a wedge between them.

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