“We’ve found Colonel Sheppard’s team and are bringing them back to Atlantis.”

“Thank you Major,” said Elizabeth, relief washing over her. She was about to move on when she realized there had been something strange in his voice. “Is everything all right Major?”

Lorne chuckled over the radio. “That would depend on your definition of ‘all right’ Dr. Weir. But to be on the safe side you might want to have Dr. Beckett take a look at them.”

Elizabeth nodded to Chuck to have Dr. Beckett hailed.

“All right Major, Carson’s on his way.”

“OK. We’re at the Gate now, we’re coming through.”

Elizabeth walked down the steps to meet the team. As they came through the gate she stopped halfway down in shock.

Standing behind Lorne, in front of the rest of his team, were four…children. They looked like they were no more than twelve or thirteen. Though she had never seen pictures of their childhoods, she knew they were her team.

“Hello Elizabeth,” piped the one who was clearly John.

“Wha-What happened?” she finally managed to say.

John grimaced. “Ask McKay.”

“Hey!” said the pudgy, pimply-faced boy next to John—in a much higher pitched voice than Elizabeth had expected. “I didn’t do anything.”

“You always say that,” murmured John.

“We got lost up in the hills and our walkies wouldn’t work. Night was coming, so we found a cave to stay in, and when we woke up, we were this.”

“It truly was not Dr. McKay’s fault,” said the pretty girl on the end, Teyla. “We simply laid down to rest and awoke this way.”

“Well something must have happened,” said Elizabeth.

“I don’t know what to tell you Elizabeth,” stated Rodney. “I’m completely at a loss.”

Elizabeth frowned. She had no idea what to do. Just then Carson and his team entered the gate room.

“What have we got?” he asked. He turned to the group still standing in front of the gate. “I thought I was to be checking Colonel Sheppard’s team?”

Elizabeth sighed. “This is Colonel Sheppard’s team.”

Carson did a double take. “What the hell happened to them?”

“We don’t know yet,” Elizabeth said.

“Hi Carson,” Rodney said, trying to sound cheerful, while John just gave the Scot a little wave.

Carson tried to regain himself. “What am I supposed to be looking for?”

Elizabeth shrugged. “Anything that explains why they’re all pre-teens. You might want to get Radek in on this as well, something tells me this is going to take more than one person to solve this.”

Carson nodded. “Well all right then, to the infirmary with you.”

The miniature SGA-1 began to file out of the gate room, but John lagged behind.

“So…I guess this means no missions until we sort this all out?”

“John!” said Elizabeth, upset that he would even consider that she would send children out into that mess.

“So that’s a no then.”

“You’re damn right that’s a no. Now get to the infirmary with the rest of your team, I want to figure out what’s going on, and then I want to fix it.”

John nodded, then turned to follow his team. As she watched him go she couldn’t help but crack a small smile as she thought that if they didn’t figure this out John and his team would make the perfect liaisons to the children of M7G-677. She could see the look on Rodney’s face already…

“I have absolutely no idea.”

“Carson, that’s not what I want to hear.”

“I’m sorry Elizabeth,” Carson sighed. “They are four incredibly healthy twelve-year-olds with no explanation as to how they got that way.”

Elizabeth put her head in her hands. “There’s nothing wrong with them?”

Carson shrugged. “There’s an unusual radiation signature on them, but it’s not harmful.”

“Could that be responsible for them being younger?” she asked hopefully.

Carson pondered it. “I don’t know of anything that can reverse time, but…I have read of something similar to this.”

Elizabeth looked up from her hands. “When?”

“The SGC medical files. A clone was made of General O’Neill that didn’t progress past a teenager.”

“You think they’re clones?” she asked incredulously.

He shrugged. “I’m just saying it’s possible.”

Elizabeth sighed.

“Would you like me to tell them?” Carson asked.

She shook her head. “No, I’ll tell them. You keep working on this. I want an answer. I will not accept them staying like this.”

---

She knocked on the door. She had already been to the others’ rooms, but she had put this one off till last.

“Come in,” John said from deep inside his room.

Elizabeth took a deep breath before entering.

“Elizabeth,” he said, rising to greet her.

She stayed just inside the room and he stayed next to his bed.

“It’s not good news is it?” he asked.

She shook her head. “We don’t know what’s wrong John, I’m sorry. Carson and Radek are still working on it but…”

“We’re stuck this way for awhile,” he finished for her.

Elizabeth nodded.

John took a step toward her and she involuntarily took a step back. “I’m sorry John,” she said with a sigh. “Look, I should go. I’ll make sure to keep you updated.”

John smiled, and for a second Elizabeth could see the John she knew in that pre-pubescent face. “Yeah ok. I’ll just be around.”

Elizabeth nodded and then slipped out the door into the hall. She went to her balcony, their balcony. It was all too weird. Just a week ago she had been standing on this balcony with him, the way she often did, his arms wrapped around her. Their relationship had only just begun, and what was she supposed to do now? She couldn’t well date a pre-teen.

She shook her head to clear it. It’ll be ok, she told herself. Carson will figure something out and get us out of this mess.

He has to, another part of her said, or you’re going to jail.