Author's Note: And so we come to the last chapter... What a sad moment! Well, for me it is. I just wanted to say the biggest thank you imaginable to every single person who reviewed In Memorium. The feedback and support is so incredibly awesome, it's hard to put into actual words! This final chapter is dedicated to you all!!

If you're interested (and it will be up here if you aren't) there are plenty more SGA fanfics coming from me, but they'll be a while, cause I've really got to get into the study now... So, after exams, I will be back on the writing, and more SGA babies will be popping out of my computer!

Until then, thanks for reading this story, and I'll see you again!

Chapter 16: Back to Atlantis

Once again the Temple of the Ancestors was lit brightly, though the lights had dimmed for no reason any scientific mind dared to fathom. Just like McKay could find no logical reason for why they had come back on when the bodies of the Wraith had been dragged away to be burned. The Stargate sat still at the end of the room, while in the middle, by the DHD, the team from Atlantis rested quietly, trying to enjoy the peace.

Reynolds seemed to be having the hardest time appreciating the Temple’s hard won freedom and rejuvenation, as he tried to check out a restless Colonel Sheppard without insulting or restraining his superior officer.

“Sir, the Wraith threw you into a wall,” the young soldier tried again, fiddling around with the makeshift bandage at Sheppard’s hairline while the older man shifted under his hands.

For his part, Sheppard tried again to wave away the eager field medic. “Reynolds, it’s just a bump,” he defended, ignoring the stifled laughter of the others around him. Or in Ronon’s case, not so stifled.

Reynolds gave a weighty sigh. “Sir, you were bleeding. You even said so yourself. That’s not normally a good sign.”

“And a week ago, I lost a whole bucket load of blood,” the colonel informed him. “It’ll come back.”

The soldier decided to give it up, shaking his head as he stood up straight and backed away. “You need to get back to Atlantis and get it checked out,” he warned, and Sheppard had the feeling his own soldier was about to rat him out. He gave Reynolds a hard stare.

“When we get back, I will. Like Colonel Carter would have it any other way,” he reminded the kid as he got his feet underneath him. He stood, trying not let anyone realize when he had to shove away the dizziness. “But I’m not leaving until I speak to the Latirans again.”

Lorne suddenly walked back to them, taking his hand away from his radio as he rejoined the group. Giving Reynolds a knowing grin at the kid’s half-hidden scowl, he nodded at Sheppard.

“They’ll be here in a minute. Wills said they’re eager to talk to you as well.” He glanced down at where McKay was putting the crystal back into the DHD. “McKay, will we be able to dial out in half an hour?”

A snort came from underneath the DHD, and the scientist backed out, getting to his feet with a small wince. He looked over at Lorne. “Of course we will be. It’s ready now. Just say the word and I will dial out.”

“As the resident gate dialler,” Sheppard interrupted, ignoring McKay’s hard stare. He rubbed his hands together, suddenly feeling nervous. Which was strange, considering the danger was behind him. “So anything I need to know before I get back? You know, so I don’t insult anyone.” He put a hand up before McKay could open his mouth. “And McKay, I will know if you’re lying to get back at me.”

The scientist clicked his mouth shut and glared, turning back to the DHD. “I was going to say you’ll be fine,” he snapped. “But obviously you don’t care about my opinion.”

Sheppard was stopped from answering by the sounds of footsteps, and a second later, Wills appeared in the doorway, followed by a small group of the Latirans. Swallowing what he had been about to say, he stepped forward, suddenly sad about leaving. These people had saved his life, after all.

Leo led them in, Laura by his side. Behind them came William and his two sons, and the young priest, Nathan. Sheppard’s team backed away to give them room, understanding their commander's need for closure.

Sheppard, on the other hand, suddenly found he had no clue what to say. He opened and closed his mouth twice, unsure how to proceed, and then gave a helpless shrug. “Thank you,” he decided on. “You saved my life. Without you all, there is no chance I would be alive.”

He looked down, a little ashamed. “Of course, if you hadn’t, the Wraith wouldn’t have shown up,” he told them. “I’m sorry you had to go through that.”

“It is not your fault,” Laura told him. Leo nodded in agreement.

“You had no knowledge that your presence would turn the devices of the Ancestors on,” the priest reminded him. “You had no intention to bring them here.” He gave an understanding smile and gestured at the team behind Sheppard. “Besides, if you had not turned the Portal on, you would have been stuck here. And you would not have been happy.”

“I’m still sorry,” he told them. He looked back at Rodney, quickly, then back. “If you like, we can come back, disable the gate. You won’t ever be bothered by Wraith through it again.”

Leo shared a look with his sister, and then with William as the elderly man stepped up, speaking for the first time. “I believe we will keep it on,” the village leader told him. “How else will you come and visit us?”

Sheppard grinned, relieved to hear them say that. While they had been right, he knew, that he would not have been happy to remain on Latira, he had great respect for these people. “I will definitely come back. I’m told we can even work out some kind of agreement.” He gave a shrug. “I’m not sure what, but I think it means some kind of alliance. And I know McKay wants a nice, long look at the thing cloaking this planet from life sensors.”

Leo nodded at the scientist. “We will be happy to have him.” He glanced at the others. “Now. I think your team is anxious to return you to your people.”

Sheppard looked back at where McKay, Ronon, Teyla and Lorne stood waiting by the DHD, and he gave a nod, those nerves coming back. “They’re not the only ones,” he muttered, turning back and offering his hand. Leo took it in a strong grip.

“Thank you,” the colonel repeated with as much sincerity as he could muster. He shook hands with William, nodded at the three young men behind them, and finally, gave Laura a kiss on her cheek. “Thank you so much.”

He turned back to his team, and nodded at McKay before he could help himself. The scientist turned immediately and began dialling. The Stargate lit up, and with each new lock, the bundle of anxiety in Sheppard’s gut tightened. He was going home. Actually going home. He had just helped defeat an entire army of Wraith, and now he was scared out of his mind about going home.

The Stargate connected, and the team moved towards the shimmering blue event horizon. Sheppard, preparing himself, turned back only once to wave goodbye to the Latirans, before he stepped through and took the short journey home.

He stepped out of the Stargate, the wild ride unlike anything he could remember, of course. But he soon forgot about it, taking in the dimmed hall of Atlantis. And seeing it for the first time in memory…

It took his breath away.

He didn’t know how he had reacted the first time he had seen it, but he guessed by the nonplussed expressions of his colleagues that that first time had been a long time ago. Still, as he looked up, and around, taking in the architecture, and the colours of the night only slightly pushed back by the lights above, and the curved balcony to his right…

“How could I have forgotten this?” he asked of no one as he slowly walked forward, spinning slightly. This was beautiful. Amazing. And he actually got to live here? No wonder the small cabin homes of the Latirans had seemed old and non-descript.

Teyla was suddenly standing by his side, her smile understanding. “It is amazing, is it not?”

Sheppard nodded, looking across at her. “This city is… I don’t think amazing covers it.”

She gave a soft chuckle, and ducked her head. “Yes, Atlantis is wondrous. But I was talking about them.” And she gestured to the front of them, and for the first time Sheppard noticed the stairs.

Or rather, the huge group of people crowded on them.

His stomach flipped as he realized they were all staring at him, relief stark on every single face. As he noticed them, a few broke out in grins, and three people – two women and a man – walked forward, guided by Lorne.

The woman in the middle stepped quickly to reach him first, coming to a pause just a few feet in front of him. Sheppard watched her, knowing her, but unable to place her. And then he remembered – she had been in one of his flashbacks, the woman who had greeted him as he had come out of the gate.

Lorne joined them, hands behind his back. He had lost his P-90 somewhere, and he looked relaxed for the first time since Sheppard had met him. Or at least, met him again.

“Colonel Sheppard, this is Colonel Carter, the commander of Atlantis,” the major told him. Sheppard nodded in understanding.

“I do remember you,” he told her, and she gave a grin. “Sort of. I mean… it’s all still pretty… fuzzy.” He gave a frown. “Sorry.”

“There’s nothing to be sorry for, colonel,” she informed him gently. “We’re just all glad you’re alive. When Colonel Caldwell told us you were, we could hardly believe it.”

Sheppard nodded, finding his lack of memory suddenly hard to deal with in the face of all this – his home, his friends, every single person staring at him as if their wishes had come true.

“What’s everyone doing?” he asked, nodding at the stairs. At the people still waiting there, watching him.

The man stepped forward, and once more, Sheppard felt a twinge of familiarity. “They’re here to wait for you, colonel,” the man answered with an accent and a grin. He held out his hand. “Dr Zelenka.”

Sheppard shook his hand, but couldn’t help but have his gaze drawn back to the crowd. “But it’s the middle of the night,” he told them all, looking back at Carter. She nodded, giving a small laugh.

“I don’t think a Wraith attack could have stopped them from wanting to wait for your return, colonel,” she told him. “It was a hard day for us all when we thought you were dead. They all wanted to see you alive for themselves.”

He wanted nothing more than to ask why, but found his tongue rooted to the top of his mouth. Instead he shook his head, feeling overwhelmed, and looked back at Atlantis’ commander. She nodded in understanding and finally gestured at the second woman who had been waiting patiently but who was starting to twitch.

“This is Dr Keller,” Carter told him. “And she’s been waiting to check you over for the last three hours.”

He grinned at them both, and it was a trademark John Sheppard grin. “Well, lets not keep you waiting any longer then,” he said to Keller, and she walked forward, hands immediately going to the makeshift bandage Reynolds had put on his head.

“If that’s your only sign of the crash, then you are one lucky man, colonel,” she informed him. Sheppard winced, but didn’t pull away.

“Actually, that was from the Wraith attack,” he told her, ducking his head so she could more easily reach the injury. Carter frowned and looked at Lorne.

“You were attacked by Wraith?” she demanded, wondering why Caldwell hadn’t informed her. But Sheppard spoke up before Lorne could answer.

“Actually, I attacked the Wraith,” he told them. “Well, me and McKay. They had Lorne, Teyla and Ronon, and I didn’t really want them dead…” He trailed off at Carter’s look, and shrugged. “I know, McKay’s already told me. It was a dumb move.”

Carter didn’t respond to that, just turned to Lorne. “Okay. Debriefing at 0800, major,” she told him, before turning back to Sheppard. “And I believe you’re meant to be in the infirmary.”

He really wished his lost memories would come back, just so he could find his way around this labyrinthine city.

Sheppard looked around, the hallways softly illuminated by the touch of dawn, and tried to pull something to the surface. He didn’t even necessarily need directions. Just some hint of where he actually was would be helpful. Then, when he actually got the courage to call someone on his radio and tell them he was lost, he could tell them exactly where he was…

Sighing, he took the next left, and suddenly recognized everything. Making a small noise of surprise, he paused for a second, then grinned. This was a start. Now, was it the next right, or the second left?

“I would have thought Keller made a nurse take you to your quarters.”

McKay’s voice took him by surprise and he jumped, turning to find the scientist holding onto a datapad, looking shocked that he had taken made Sheppard jump. “Sorry,” the other man said. “I didn’t realize I was so stealthy. Huh, things you never realize.”

“Uh, sure,” Sheppard told him. “And for your information, Keller did make a nurse show me to my quarters. And when she left, I… decided to go for a walk.”

Understanding flooded McKay’s face. “So if I contact Keller now…”

Sheppard winced. “Please don’t. She told me… something about a concussion and resting. But I really needed to speak to you.”

“To me?” McKay asked, shifting the datapad. “Well, why didn’t you just say so. Step into my office.” And he brushed past, leading the way into a nearby door. Sheppard actually recognised the lab as well, and grinned again as he felt his memories beginning to return quicker. Well, Keller had surmised as much.

McKay took a seat at his work table, and Sheppard moved to stand opposite, once again, unsure how to proceed. As soon as he realized that, the scientist ditched his computer and leaned forward. “Just spit it out, Sheppard.”

“I’m sorry.”

It was McKay’s turn to be taken by surprise. Eyes going wide, he leaned back and fiddled with something on his datapad. “For what?” he asked, sounding actually confused.

“Back at the Temple,” Sheppard reminded him. “You were right. I should have waited for more men. I should have asked you for advice. In fact, I probably should have just come back here as soon as you found me.”

McKay shrugged. “Look, it doesn’t matter anyway -,” he began, before Sheppard cut him off.

“Yeah, because we were lucky. Lucky Ronon and Teyla and Lorne weren’t dead. Lucky the Wraith were actually taken by surprise. Lucky Colonel Caldwell ignored me and sent down a few marines anyway.” Sheppard gave a chuckle. “We would have been dead without them. It was a good thing Caldwell decided to ignore me.”

“Yeah, why did he do that?” McKay asked, curious. “Not that it isn’t like him, or anything.”

“Apparently he decided I had forgotten about the… transportation capabilities of the Daedalus. Or something along those lines. Anyway, he decided to beam them down just in case my memories were well and truly lacking.”

“No, not like him at all,” McKay muttered, before shaking his head. “Look, whatever you think, you have no need to apologise.”

“Yes, I do. You tried to tell me to be careful. And I didn’t listen.” He shrugged. “Hopefully when all my memories come back, I’ll remember to do just that.”

McKay gave a snort. “Not likely,” he told the soldier. “Look, I know why you wanted get down there. You felt like it was all your fault. I know the feeling. Trust me, I know. But it wasn’t. I didn’t have to go along with it. But I did. Because I trust you. Now trust me. Get over it. Forget about it. Don’t think about it. Do whatever you need to do to get past it. At this base we take stupid risks on a daily basis. Doesn’t mean we shouldn’t take them.” He gave a shrug. “And when you get your memories back, you’ll realize that.”

He cleared his throat, and sat back, looking slightly embarrassed. “One other thing you should know,” he said. “Me and these stupid little motivational speeches? It does not leave this room. Ever.”

Knowing the topic was well and truly over, Sheppard grinned. “Don’t worry. My lips are sealed.” He got up and moved towards door. McKay watched him.

“Sure you can find your way back?” he asked as the colonel paused at the door.

Sheppard looked back at him, thought about it for a minute, and nodded. “To my quarters, yeah. But I don’t want to go there just yet.”

He looked at his watch, and as if on cue, McKay’s stomach rumbled, as he realized it was breakfast time. Sheppard grinned.

“Why do I get the feeling you can show me to the mess hall?”