Pain.
There was pain all over. Incredible pain, making it hard to breath.
It felt like a fire, starting at his ribs, traveling up to his chest, then pouring out his mouth, along with many curses.
Over and over and over again. Until he was crying.
Imagine that! John Sheppard, crying! The thought made him want to laugh.
But he couldn't.
"Make it stop!" he groaned. "Make the pain stop!"
"John, please open your eyes," a voice replied. He felt small fingers on his face. "Please, John."
He tried, but a burst of pain stopped him. "I can't!"
"Come on, John-"
"Teyla," a deeper voice cut in. "Leave him alone."
"I am simply trying to help him."
"Well, you aren't. Jennifer said that the best thing to do is to let him rest."
A new voice came in. "Ronon is right, Teyla. Just let him rest for now, okay?"
There was no answer, but John heard a set of footsteps walk away.
EARLIER
"Man, this place is hot!" Rodney exclaimed. For the fifth time.
John exchanged a look with Teyla, and she smiled at him, reminding him to be patient.
"We're almost at the 'gate," John muttered. "Then we can find some ice cream back at Atlantis."
"Ooh," Rodney moaned in pleasure. "I would love some ice cream right now."
"Just a minute, Sheppard." Ronon had that face on. The face he always had right before something bad happened.
"What's wrong, Ronon?" John demanded, raising his gun.
Ronon's heavy glare swept the area, but all was silent. He lowered his gun.
"No. It's nothing."
"I think I've heard that before." John said sarcastically, but lowered his gun as well.
Rodney still looked worried. "Are you sure? I mean, whatever is prowling around in that forest could-"
"Rodney." Teyla shot him a frown. "Enough."
"Took the words right out of my mouth!" John shot her one of his charming smiles, right as a shot echoed around them.
PRESENT
"How is he?" Teyla looked up as Lorne came into the infirmary, eyeing the sleeping colonial.
"Better than he was this morning." she responded. "But still, not so good."
Lorne pulled a chair up beside Teyla, encouraging her to elaborate.
"He was crying and cursing just this morning, along with throwing up. He was also asking for Elizabeth and said she was probably practicing her bedside manners. Then, he went back to sleep."
"So, it's been on and off."
"Pretty much, yes."
Lorne bit his lip. He knew how much Teyla loved the colonial, and it killed him to ask this question.
"What are his chances of survival."
Teyla turned and stared at him, her face hard. "He will survive. No matter what anyone else says."
EARLIER
"Sheppard!" Ronon caught John just as the colonial was about to hit the ground.
The blood continued seeping out of John's stomach, despite Ronon and Rodney's efforts to stop it.
"You need... to cut my shirt...off..." John stuttered. "And find clothe... to stop the... bleeding."
Teyla continued sweeping the area with her gun, but didn't see anything. She knelt down beside John.
"Ronon, you have the best tracking skills, " she said, pulling John's head into her lap. "Go after whoever shot him."
"Woah, but but we need Ronon here? In case whoever it was shoots another one of us?"
"I'll catch him, Teyla, don't worry." Ronon ignored Rodney. "Take care of Sheppard." Ronon's voice cracked, and then he was running.