AN: Once again, sorry for the long delay! I hope you enjoy the conclusion!

Gene Warfare, by Rowana Farrin

Chapter Thirteen

"I'm telling you, that can not be sanitary!"

"Why don't you tell him that and let the rest of us get back to sleep?"

"Are you crazy?! That monster will rip my arm off!"

The familiar voices stirred Carson from his sleep. At first, he wondered if it was still a dream because he knew the owners of those voices weren't with him on the Hive ship. Then his mind pieced itself together and he remembered. The Wraith were dead. He was back in Atlantis. He was safe. They were all safe.

His left arm tingled uncomfortably and he was suddenly aware of a sharp pressure clinging to him. He tried to pull away, but the force came with him. Had they restrained him? Why?

"See!" cried McKay from somewhere nearby. "It's probably cutting off circulation!"

The 'it' in question writhed and hissed on Carson's arm. McKay shrieked and Carson finally got the energy to open his eyes, just in time to see Rodney jump away, clutching his left hand as best he could with his bandaged right one.

"It bit me!" he cried. "Did you see that! It bit me!"

"Shut up, McKay!" growled Sheppard from somewhere nearby. "You'll wake Carson up."

"Too late for that," Carson mumbled, just loud enough for them all to hear.

Everyone turned to look at him. John was in the bed next to his with his leg in a cast and a bandaged on his head. Radek was on his other side, still asleep. How he could sleep through the noise, Carson didn't know, but he made a mental note to ask his secret sometime. Rodney was standing next to Carson's bed looking indignant.

John grinned. "Good morning, Carson!" he said cheerfully.

"It's afternoon," Rodney pointed out grumpily.

"What happened to yer hand?" Carson asked.

Rodney scowled. "Ask your beast!"

Carson glanced down at his arm to see Jamie curled so tightly around it that the creature looked like a scaly armband. Jamie made a high trill noise of pleasure and rubbed his nose against Carson's hand.

"He hasn't let go since you came back," Cadman said, entering the room. She smiled. "It's good to see you awake."

Carson smiled back. "It's good to be awake."

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Ronon circled his enemy searching for any sign of weakness. There! An opening! He lunged forward only to be sent sprawling as a stick struck him across his uninjured shoulder.

"Are you sure you should be doing this?" Teyla asked.

"I'm fine," he grunted.

Teyla raised an eyebrow and looked at his broken arm.

Ronon scowled. "I'm just out of practice," he insisted.

"Are you sure there is nothing is troubling you?"

"Yup."

She shrugged. "You were a prisoner of the Wraith. I imagine it was not a pleasant experience."

"I don't want to talk about it," he declared, lunging at her.

Teyla easily sent him sprawling again. "Are you sure?"

He grunted and accepted her offered hand. "I think maybe I should get my arm checked," he said, turning to leave.

"You could not have done anything different," she told him.

He paused. "I should have been able to prevent it. It's my job to protect all of you."

"And you did," she insisted. "Were it not for you, Carson would be dead."

"And if it weren't for me," he said without turning around, "he wouldn't have had to work for the Wraith."

He tried to leave again, but Teyla's next words stopped him. "Do you really think he would have survived if he had not had someone to protect?"

Ronon wasn't sure what to say to that. Especially since it was true.

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For the next few days, it seemed that everyone in the city found some excuse or other to visit the infirmary and see Dr. Beckett. Though he was flattered by all the attention, Carson was soon wishing for peace and privacy so he could think. The events of the last month were not easy to forget and nightmares still plagued even his waking mind.

Finally, he was able to convince his staff to let him out of their sights for a few hours. After a long walk around the city, during which everyone he passed stopped to say hello, he found himself on the balcony behind the control room. The sight of the vast ocean and endless sky was calming. He leaned on the railing and watched the waves while absently rubbing Jamie's head. The lizard still hadn't let go of his arm.

"It's nice, isn't it?"

He turned to find Elizabeth smiling back at him. "Aye," he agreed.

She moved forward and leaned on the rail next to him. "I like to come here to think. It seems to be the only place I can find peace."

Carson nodded and stared back out over the water. Jamie protested the lack of petting by squeezing Carson's arm again and hissing.

"He missed you," Elizabeth commented. She paused. "We all did."

"I don't deserve it," he said quietly, "Because of me the whole city was almost destroyed."

"You think that was your fault?" she asked in surprise.

"I gave them the means to attack you. I even attacked the Daedalus myself."

"And if you hadn't allowed them to escape and infected the Wraith with a deadly mutation we might all be dead right now," she emphasized.

He didn't answer, so she went on. "You took a big risk. It was very brave."

"I was a coward," he insisted. "I was willing to risk everything just for one person."

"And if you hadn't? We're all still here, Carson. And it's thanks to you."

The were both quiet for a few minutes.

"I killed them all," he whispered.

"What?"

"The Wraith. I killed them all. I didn't have to. I should have found another way."

"You did what you had to do," she told him seriously. "War is never easy or simple."

Carson sighed. "Next time, I'll find a better way."

"Let's hope there won't be a next time." Elizabeth turned to go and laid a comforting hand on his shoulder. "It's good to have you back, Carson."

He gave her a small smile. "Thank you, Elizabeth."

When she was gone, he looked out over the silver spires of Atlantis. Yes, he thought, it was good to be back.

FIN

AN: Yay! This was my longest fic ever, and I hope you all enjoyed it! Thank you so much for your patience and reviews! Please leave a few last comments so I know what you think. Special thanks for my wonderful beta readers: Nalana, Geoff, and Nathan! Thank you once again for reading and I hope to write another story soon!