Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Stargate: Atlantis or its characters. If I did, we'd still be seeing them each week.

Author's Note: This story came about from several things. Most notably, a conversation on Gateworld's Carson Beckett/Paul McGillion Thunk thread and a challenge on Gateworld's Carson Beckett Challenges and Fun thread. The one on the thunk thread was an idea where Carson and someone else were stuck in a cabin, he was injured and they had limited medical supplies. The challenge was that he was trapped off world, injured, and his lady had to come to his rescue. So, with those two ideas in mind, this story came about. The title is taken from a song written in 1958, called "Till the Storm Passes By." That song will make an appearance in one of the chapters. Also, as this is something of a "bridge" story to get me writing again in the new year, I will not be posting every other day like normal. There's only four, maybe five, chapters in this story, so I will update on Mondays and Fridays until my next big story comes out. Contains spoilers for several episodes, most notably "Michael," "Allies," and "Misbegotten," but may have several others as well. As always, hope you enjoy! ~lg

oOo

It was supposed to be a simple mission: escort Dr. Carson Beckett to a mountain village, stick around while he conducted a clinic, and bring him home. Sheppard watched the doc move around the tiny cabin he'd been given as a meeting place and shook his head. There was nothing "simple" about this mission.

First of all, the village was in the mountains. While easily accessible by Jumper, they'd landed some distance away and hiked the remaining bit so as not to spook the locals. This planet provided a fair amount of meat for the Atlantis Expedition, and Sheppard wasn't too keen on causing a diplomatic incident with simple farmers and mountain men. Secondly, the weather was unpredictable at best. Late the day of their arrival, a storm had moved in to the area, lashing them with dousing rain and freezing temperatures that never dropped low enough to turn it to snow. They'd huddled in the clinic, watching as the outside world was summarily flooded. By the time the storm lifted, the path to the Jumper was almost impassable. Third, the people just kept coming. The small village had swollen to nearly twice its size once news that a healer from Atlantis had arrived.

Now, coming up on three days in this place, even Sheppard was restless. Teyla seemed to have fit in well, and Carson looked happier than he had in a while. Of course, that entire incident with Michael, the failed alliance with the Wraith, and his capture by said Wraith hadn't helped the doc's outlook. It was encouraging to see some color in Carson's face as he dealt with simple broken bones, cuts, infections, and the elderly.

But something had to be done about Ronon and McKay. Those two had passed the point of restless and had resorted to annoying the crap out of one another. Right at that moment, Ronon was swinging around a piece of wood that looked quite strong while Rodney complained that he'd nearly been hit in the head. Of course, Ronon was careful to avoid that, but he was also not above teasing the physicist with the threat of a concussion. Inside the clinic, Carson glanced up from where he was listening to the lungs of a small child to roll his eyes. If those two were distracting Carson, then Sheppard needed to do something.

Waiting until the doc had finished prescribing some antibiotics and fully explaining the illness to the boy's mother, Sheppard stepped forward. "Hey, Doc. How much longer?"

"Oh," Carson said as he glanced around. There were still five more people in the clinic, but they knew more would likely come. It had been this way for three very long days. Only Teyla hadn't shown any kind of restlessness outside of a comment about not knowing how many people were here. Carson met Sheppard's eyes. "I'd say another two or three hours should do it, though that's not countin' who might come in. . . ."

A shout rose from the village square, and the ruckus caused by Ronon and McKay stopped. A moment later, Ronon's gruff voice called through the window. "Doc!"

Rolling his eyes at Sheppard as if to emphasize the point he'd been making, Carson grabbed his medical kit and rushed out the door. Sheppard followed him, shocked when two men carried a third on a hand-made litter toward the clinic. The man on the litter was bleeding profusely from a cut in his leg, already pale and unconscious. Dirt clung to him, leaves and twigs hanging off of his shoulder-length hair and beard. Carson dropped to his knees next to the litter. "What happened?" he demanded.

The first of the men looked a bit guilty. "It was an accident!"

Carson looked up, calm in the face of this mountain man. "I'm not sayin' it wasn't, son. I'm askin' wha' happened so I can treat him."

Somewhat shamed in the face of the doc's rational explanation, the man shrugged. "We were cutting wood. It is our job, and the village elders decided to build more homes so that people would not need to sleep in the streets. The ax head disconnected from my handle, and. . . ."

Carson nodded, not needing the man to spell it out any further. "Right. Well, let's get him inside where I can get him under a scanner. From wha' I can tell, it should be a simple matter of cleanin' and stitchin' the wound. But I'll have to watch him to make certain infection hasn't set in."

Sheppard barely suppressed the groan at that announcement. As the two men carried their comrade toward the clinic, he grabbed the doc's arm and whispered, "How long is this going to take?"

Carson shook his head. "I have no idea, Colonel." Rubbing a hand over tired eyes, he sighed. "I would like to stay one more night, just to make sure he's out o' the woods. The gate is only half a day's hike from here. Why don't ye take Ronon and Rodney back today, an' Teyla an' I will follow tomorrow?"

"I don't like it, Doc."

"Aye, I know." Carson shrugged as they entered the clinic. He began to scrub his hands in the pot of near-boiling water they'd kept going for just such an occasion. "But I'd rather not have to stitch up either Ronon or Rodney because those two are bored out of their minds. An' I'll need Teyla. She's been a wonderful help in the clinic and has a steady hand when I'm performin' surgery."

Sheppard nodded once. Leaving Carson behind usually wasn't an option, but they'd been here for three days. Any plot to kidnap the doc would have manifested by now, especially since the injuries and illnesses were legitimate. His "spidey-sense," as Rodney liked to call it, wasn't tingling, so there really was no reason not to take the restless Satedan and physicist back to Atlantis. "Okay, tell you what." He shrugged. "I'll take those two home and come back to give you a ride tomorrow. You patch this guy up and make sure he'll be okay. But you're coming home tomorrow."

Carson nodded once. "Believe me, Colonel, I look forward to a hot shower."

Clapping the doc on the shoulder, Sheppard slipped back outside to collect half of his team. Teyla willingly stepped up to be Carson's assistant, nodding her acceptance of their arrangement to Sheppard. Outside, McKay uttered a relieved "Finally!" while Ronon packed up his knife and the wood he'd finally decided to cut to Bantos-rod-length. The three men hiked over thick mud that had finally hardened a bit to the Jumper. A few branches had fallen on the Ancient ship, but she fired up immediately. More than relieved to be leaving this world behind, Sheppard turned the ship toward the Stargate. And home.

oOo

It was a long night for Carson, made tolerable by Teyla's presence. After stitching up the cut on the logger's leg, Carson had settled him into a bed to watch while finishing up with his remaining patients. Thankfully, no one else had appeared out of the woodwork for his services, leaving him to share a quiet dinner with Teyla and multiple cups of tea as they kept watch over the injured man. Finally, near midnight, Carson drifted to sleep out of pure exhaustion.

He woke to a firm shake on his shoulder as the sun had barely started to lighten the sky. Blinking up at Teyla, he sat up and scrubbed a hand down his face. "I'm awake, love."

She smiled slightly. "I have allowed you to sleep as long as is possible." She glanced out the window. "But I fear another storm is coming, and we must make our way to the gate before it gets here."

Carson stood and moved to the window. The "pre-dawn" light wasn't so much early morning as it was thick clouds that rolled across the sky. All sleepiness fell away instantly. "Right." He whirled and began gathering his supplies. His patient watched from the bed, obviously in pain but not complaining. Carson moved to the man's side. "You know what to do?"

"Yes." The man smiled. "Stay off of it for a week, and then you'll be back to check my stitches and wound." He stopped Carson with a hand on his arm. "Thanks, Doc. I really do appreciate it."

Carson nodded and patted the man on the shoulder, not surprised when the village woman who had fed them all this time appeared with a wrapped package of food for their journey. Teyla added it to her pack while Carson shoved the final medical supplies into his backpack. Outside of equipment, there really wasn't much to take back with him. He'd already sent for more supplies from Atlantis, but the weather had delayed that shipment. By the time the storm cleared, it had been time to send Sheppard home.

Outside, the wind had started to whip around them, sending chills down Carson's spine. He pulled his jacket tighter around his body, cursing his inability to have foreseen this change in weather. Teyla wore her knee-length fur-lined coat, one Athosian accessory of her wardrobe that made her unforgettable. She also didn't seem to mind the way the wind swirled her hair into her face.

"Doctor Beckett!" The call came from behind them. Carson turned to see Harreck, the village elder, headed his way. The man stopped and held up a thick coat. "Please take this if you are to brave the path to the Ring. It is warm and will keep the rain from becoming too miserable."

Carson gratefully accepted the long coat and shrugged into it. It was a bit big but would keep him warmer than just his TAC vest. After buttoning it up to his chin, he loosened the straps on the backpack he planned to wear and struggled into it. Bidding Harreck a quick farewell, he followed Teyla down the path and out of the village.

The wind continued to whip around them as they moved. Carson stayed behind Teyla, doing his best to keep up with her pace. They needed to get down the mountain, and quickly if this storm had anything to say. As they traveled, Teyla would glance over her shoulder to make certain he was okay. Carson gave her a smile each time, the long days in the clinic not helping his energy. As he walked, he munched on the bread and cheese he'd been given. It was enough to fill the hole in his stomach but not as nice as a cup of tea and a bowl of warm oatmeal. While not appealing to some, it was his preferred breakfast on the run.

The rain started falling shortly after they left the village, stinging them with sharp needles as Carson pulled the hood of the coat he'd been given over his head. It would protect all but his face, and his pack was waterproof. Of course, that was without the downpour the rain decided to become. Teyla's hair was quickly flattened to her head, and she slowed as the path turned to thick muck once again.

Carson kept pushing forward, though. He was determined to get home to Atlantis and a warm shower, a shave, and a hot meal. Those ideas kept floating through his head and being pushed away with regularity as he tried to concentrate on where to put his next step. Just as he thought he'd focused, the mud under his foot gave way.

"Oh crap!" He threw out his hand to grab something, the heavy cases he'd been carrying flying down the side of the mountain. He encountered only more mud and then nothing as he felt the sickening sensation of falling.

oOo

Teyla heard Carson's soft exclamation behind her and turned just in time to see the doctor throw out his hands. The heavy cases he'd insisted on carrying tumbled down the side of the mountain. She rushed to grab his arm, hoping she'd be able to prevent him from falling down the dangerous slope. Instead, she watched, horrified, as the doctor followed his cases down the side of the mountain, bouncing and turning as he went. When he finally came to a stop, he showed no signs of consciousness.

Panic, something Teyla wasn't accustomed to feeling, welled inside of her as she gathered her soaked coat around her body. She should have waited out this storm rather than pushing toward the gate. But a part of her wished to return to Atlantis sooner rather than later. And she had seen how exhausted Carson had been by the way he drifted to sleep the night before. She had been in the middle of a sentence when she realized he was no longer listening. Looking at his sleeping face, she'd knew that he needed to return to Atlantis.

Now, however, she carefully picked her way down the mountainside. Had the rains not come, it would have been a relatively simple, yet infinitely dangerous idea. Now, she slipped several times, once landing on her rear end and sliding for several feet. Still, she managed to reach Carson just as he regained consciousness. He moved slightly and then cried out in pain, something she was not accustomed to hearing from him. His head bled from a cut above his eye, and his lip had been split by his fall. His dark scruff, something she would never have noticed had he not been so pale, stood out to her now as she tried to assess his injuries.

"Carson." She put her hand on his shoulder. "Try to lie still."

He nodded, breathing heavily as he tried to bite back another cry of pain. "Aye, I think that's a good idea!"

Teyla smiled at his words and went to work assessing his injuries. He had taught her much during the last few days, including how to set broken bones. Now, as she ran her hands down his leg, she cringed when he cried out again as she touched his lower right leg. A bulge told her the bone was likely broken, and she could not get them to shelter until she set it. Her quick explanation was met with another pained nod and gritted teeth as he tried to sit up. "Let me get my scanner," he panted.

Teyla put another hand on his shoulder. "Carson. . . ."

"I won't know how to set the bone properly if I don't scan it," he said logically. Rather than arguing, Teyla helped him out of the heavy pack he'd worn. He swayed several times, glancing at her apologetically. "I also think I've a wee concussion, too."

She smiled at him. "I am certain of it." As he pulled out the scanner and ran it slowly over his leg, she watched his face. He swallowed convulsively several times, and she knew he fought with nausea as well as pain. Finally, after another muttered "Oh, crap!" he turned to one side and promptly emptied his stomach of the bread and cheese he'd eaten that morning. Teyla kept her face blank as she patted his shoulder, offering him some water from her canteen. He sipped at it, first rinsing his mouth and then taking a bit for himself.

Once he'd swallowed some ibuprofen, the only medication he had on him, he nodded. Teyla listened to his instructions and, when he indicated he was ready, carefully set the break in his leg. He screamed this time, screwing his eyes shut and cutting off the shout with gritted teeth. For several long moments, his breath hissed in and out as he tried to keep the pain at bay. While he focused on not passing out, Teyla quickly splinted his leg with the supplies they had available. The rain did not let up, plastering Carson's air to his forehead as he blinked away the rainwater.

Once she'd finished, she glanced up at the sky. "I believe we should find shelter."

"Aye," he agreed weakly. Pushing himself upright again, he touched his fingers to his temple. It was the only sign of the concussion he'd allow as he gathered his supplies and painfully tried to pull himself to his feet.

Teyla stopped him with a hand. "You cannot go anywhere!"

"Teyla, love, if we don't get out o' this rain, a broken leg will be the least of my problems." He smiled slightly, clearly trying to reassure her. "We should find shelter, an' I'll take some more medication once there."

Unable to deny what he'd said, Teyla glanced around and sighed. Where would they find shelter on an alien planet in the middle of a torrential downpour? Sparing one final look at Carson, she took one more breath and nodded. "Stay here. I will scout the area and return shortly."

He nodded and lay back against his pack. Teyla knew he could not remain there for much longer and headed for the tree line. At least he'd stopped falling at the bottom of the drop-off. She slipped through the forest, determined to find shelter or make shelter before the hour was out. She was not expecting to find the hunter's cabin so close to the area where Carson had fallen.

~TBC