Author's Note: I would like to thank my beta reader, Nika Dixon, for her guidance. Any mistakes here are purely my own.

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Stargate Atlantis or the characters. The only thing that is mine are any original thoughts or characters that you may find here.

This is the sequel to my previous story Out of Time but may be read on its own.

Chapter 1

"So when were you going to tell me?" He saw her flinch as she looked up from her laptop to see him stood in her doorway. He stepped further into her office as he continued. "Or weren't you going to tell me at all?"

She saw that his movements were stiff and the limp was still present, both signs that he was still recovering from his latest infirmary visit. As was the presence of the sling on his left arm. He had tried ditching it a few days earlier until Beckett had seen him and threatened him with a very large needle unless he behaved. She smiled and enjoyed the confusion that dashed across his face.

"What?"

"Obviously you're taking 'Light Duties' seriously for a change and haven't read all the latest reports or you wouldn't be asking that question." She watched his reaction and continued to smile.

"Yeah well you know how I hate paperwork."

"That I do." She nodded. "Don't worry I'm only going for a few days and Lorne's team will be there to keep me safe. The Dalerians need help translating the Ancient text on some ruins and we need their crops. Crops they have already provided us with in good faith I might add."

Sheppard nodded, remembering the report on the first meeting with the Dalerians. It was the first off-world mission made by Lorne and his team after the memorial service and before his own return. It still felt strange to have effectively come back from the dead. Good but strange. Some expedition members were so happy to see him back that they had hugged him. Would've continued to hug him if they hadn't noticed the pained look on his face from the effect it had on his healing injuries. They would then become apologetic. Effusively so. All the while making him uncomfortable with the level of personal attention he was receiving. Others still seemed uncomfortable around him, almost embarrassed that they had accepted him as among the dead. He remembered what Beckett had told him about the extent of his injuries and how close he had come to making their beliefs a fact. How close he had come to not seeing her face again.

She put her hand on his uninjured arm. "You okay?"

He put on a smile seeing the concern on her face. "I'm fine. Coming to movie night tonight?"

She noticed that the smile didn't reach his eyes. "I'll be there. You know you'll be in charge in my absence but I want you to accept help from Teyla and Rodney." She saw him move to protest. "You're still recovering. Carson would have my hide if I let you take the workload on by yourself."

She guided him towards the door. "Now much as I'd like to chat, John, there are a few things that I must do before tomorrow. I'll see you at dinner." She watched him limp his way out of her office wondering if he would tell her what really had him so distracted and distant. She knew all the details from their encounter with the time machine. At least all the details any of them were prepared to tell her. But ever since he had been released from the infirmary she sensed that something was bothering him. At first they had spent much of his recovery together watching movies, watching the waves lap against the pier or just talking. He was never the chatterbox that Rodney could be at times but she had always managed to have interesting conversations with John. Many of them on subjects she had been surprised he would have an interest in. Now he seemed to withdraw from their conversations a little. She wondered if it was something more than just his recovering from his injuries that was to blame. Had something happened during his absence that he had not spoken of? Something that was getting him down. She knew that he was a private person, even with her and she would just have to wait till he was ready to talk about whatever it was that was on his mind.

oOOOo

John stood at the balcony, watching as Lorne's team gathered in the gate room. He turned to his 2IC and wished he was going in his place but knew Weir was right. "Keep her safe, Major."

"Intend to, sir."

John nodded, turning when he heard Elizabeth's footsteps behind him. She was pulling on a backpack that seemed to dwarf her. "I see you packed light."

She looked up to see the smirk plastered on his face. "See that my city is still in one piece when I return, John." returning his smirk with one of her own. "And see that you keep yourself in one piece too."

"We will make sure that he does, Dr Weir." added Teyla with a smile as she joined the group outside Weir's office followed by Ronon.

Weir laughed when Sheppard's smirk dropped from his face to be replaced with one of indignation.

"I don't need baby-sitting, Elizabeth." He kept his eyes on her ignoring the chuckles from his 2IC, he could deal with him later, find some unpleasant duty for him to perform like baby-sitting McKay or working as his human switch for all things Ancient for a day.

"Yes you do." replied Ronon earning himself a glare from his team leader.

"What is this? Pick on John day?"

Weir signalled the gate technician to dial the gate. "It's only for a few days, John." She headed for the steps leaving John watching her departure. "Major."

Lorne looked to his CO before following Weir. Sheppard moved over to lean on the railing as Lorne's team stepped into the wormhole ahead of Lorne. Weir glanced up and gave him a brief smile before she too stepped into the event horizon. Sheppard remained where he was stood. He caught the scent of Athosian soap that he knew Elizabeth liked and turned to see Teyla by his side.

"I believe you have not had breakfast yet this morning."

John smiled realising that his team were serious about keeping an eye on him. "Lead on."

oOOOo

Weir stepped out of the event horizon and smiled as she felt the warmth of the early morning sun on her shoulders and smelt the sweet perfumed scent of springtime. She looked around at the grassy field currently flooded with a sea of gently bobbing yellow and white flowers and spotted the worn path that led the way to the main village. Lorne's men had already fallen into their routine and had started down the path. Lorne was still by her side waiting for her to make a move and then fell in behind her.

The path took them through the field of flowers and past the outlying crop fields where several Dalerians were busy picking the harvest and loading it into large wicker baskets ready for taking back to the village. She smiled and waved to them as they looked up from their work to watch the visitors approach, smiling back when they recognised Lorne and his men.

The landscape changed again as the crop fields were replaced with simple outbuildings reflecting their age with their worn timbers and moss covered shingles. More buildings sat on the horizon and soon she was close enough to hear the sounds of children laughing as they played outside one of the buildings only stopping when a woman called to them from the doorway. She smiled when she saw their reluctance as they dragged their feet and made promises to each other of more games later. Their reactions reminded her of a certain person when it came to completing his paperwork.

She noticed that the buildings were no longer made of wood, no longer worn and weary but bright and modern, a reflection of the hope these people held for a world without the constant threat from the Wraith. The sounds of a people going about their daily lives echoed around her as she took in the sights and smells, catching a hint of something like cinnamon floating on the breeze. She breathed deeply, vowing to find the source of those delicious smells before returning to Atlantis. Maybe she could appease her military commander with something sugary knowing his weakness for cake was similar to hers for chocolate.

"We're here, ma'am."

She blinked as Lorne's words broke into her thoughts, seeing the large building before her. It was set apart from the others and was the only building in the village with a large grassed area and a paved pathway leading up to its imposing entrance. It reminded her of some of the Government buildings in Washington with tall stone pillars rising to meet the portico above. Her eyes followed them till she saw the writing carved into the stonework far above them. The symbols were similar to those of the Ancients, tantalisingly so but amongst them she could see symbols that she did not recognise. She failed to understand their meaning and wondered if they represented a new dialect of Ancient. A variant on the one she was more familiar with.

"Dr Weir, I presume. I see you are admiring our homage to our Ancestors."

Weir lowered her eyes to the man stood before her on the steps of the building taking in his welcoming smile. She found herself returning his smile as she approached, realising that Lorne's description of the man was accurate. She could see that man stood before her was imposing with his height and his strikingly blue eyes below a mop of blond hair that gave Sheppard's messy locks a run for their money. She suspected that the Councillor had deliberately chosen the top step for his greeting to make himself appear even taller and more imposing. He wore what she assumed were his robes of office. As blue as his eyes and just as lustrous as any silks from Earth and very different from the earthy tones worn by the villagers.

"Yes I was, Councillor Brille." She joined him on the steps and turned to look back to take in the view of the buildings around them. "You have a lovely village here."

"We like to think so. Now I'm sure that you are keen to get started but I thought some refreshments and a chance to meet with some of our local historians would be nice, what do you say?"

"I'd say it sounds delightful." replied Weir allowing the Councillor to take her arm and lead her into the building.

Lorne nodded to two of his men to stay put while the rest followed him into the building behind Weir.

The Councillor guided her through the passageways until they reached a large archway that led into an even larger room. The Councillor smiled as he saw her eyes widen with surprise. "Beautiful isn't it? It is the most exquisite room in all of Daleria."

She wanted to reach out and touch the beautiful fabrics that draped over the furniture, their silken threads reflecting the light as it entered the large windows adorning one wall, revealing an equally impressive walled garden, reminding her of her days in France staying in a country chateau in the Loire Valley. She followed the Councillor into the room and took the seat offered, her mouth watering at the sight of the delicately crafted cakes before her, all miniature works of art almost too good to eat. She really would have to take a sample home to John, maybe a little sugar would lift his mood.

Lorne's men remained by the doorway as Lorne took a seat near his boss, letting his eyes roam the room before resting on the man now sat opposite Weir.

"Don't you ever relax, Major. You are perfectly safe here I assure you."

"Sorry Councillor, habit."

The Councillor smiled. "I can understand that and will take no offence. Please help yourselves, our chefs have been most busy anxious to please our new allies. I will join you again in a moment after I have seen what is keeping our historians."

oOOOo

Weir smiled at the tall man beside her even as she saw Major Lorne roll his eyes.

"So you have no written records about this site, Dr Harneg?" asked Weir returning her attention to the man walking beside her.

"Please call me Sol. No we don't unfortunately. We believe that the writings are those of the Ancestors but only because of the similarity to other sites that are documented. Most of those sites lie in ruin, a result of a great battle many eons ago. So far we have been unable to determine the meaning of the writings or the purpose of this site."

"How much farther is it, Dr?" asked Lorne.

"Not much further. It is beyond the next rise." replied Sol before turning his attention back to Weir. "I hope that you will find our temporary accommodations to your liking. It is not as comfortable as the village but it is preferable to making the trek each day."

"I am sure it will be more than satisfactory." replied Weir with a smile.

"It truly is an honour to have such an expert on the Ancient language visit our site."

Lorne barely managed to control a chuckle turning it into a cough when he noticed Weir's eyes swing his way.

"Are you alright, Major?" asked Sol.

"Um...yes. Just caught one of those bugs in my throat."

"Yes the larofli can be rather annoying at this time of year. I find it best to walk with one's mouth shut."

Lorne spotted Weir covering her mouth to hide her own laugh. "So it would seem, sir."

Weir picked one of the yellow flowers as they continued up the grassy rise, raising it to her nose to take in its sweet perfume, wondering whether she should include the flowers in the negotiations. She loved living on Atlantis and had long grown used to falling asleep to the sounds of the waves breaking against it but there were still some things from Earth that she missed. Having a garden was one even though she had rarely had the free time to spend in her garden and doubted she would ever find the time on Atlantis given the work load associated with being the boss.

"Wow." remarked Lorne as he saw the Ancient site that they had come to study. "You never said it was this large."

"Part of what you see before you is the temporary encampment. Many of our peoples visit this spot to view the buildings of the Ancients, we did not want to detract from their experience by making our encampment obvious." replied Sol watching Weir as she looked at the sight spread out before her.

"Why do they stop at this spot? Why not go the rest of the way?" asked Lorne.

"This site is important to our people and so is its preservation. Only a select few are allowed beyond this point such as historians and Councillors. Were it not for your knowledge of the Ancient language then you too would not be allowed on such a sacred site to our peoples. Come let us continue." Sol started down the slope towards the Ancient site.

"McKay won't like it when he finds out that they have a whole Ancient city here and he had to stay home." remarked Lorne quietly.

"No he won't." replied Weir before she started down the slope.

TBC

A/N: An Ancient city. What will they find? Can it really be this idyllic in the Pegasus Galaxy? Can Sheppard keep out of trouble whilst Weir is off-world? If you want to find out you'll have to pay the price by leaving a review. It's fun and it's easy just press that button at the bottom of the page.