Author's note: This short fic is for a Whump Challenge which involves John having a stomach ache. Since it's a whump challenges… had to go farther than a basic tummy ache. lol

Gut Feeling

The sounds of gunfire echo in the air as Sheppard and his team race through the dense forest to get to the Stargate. Rodney and Teyla lead the way, occasionally returning fire as they navigate through the maze of trees. Ronon and John take up the rear, randomly hiding behind any large tree or boulder as they pick off their enemies one by one.

"I thought this meeting with the Genii was supposed to be peaceful!" Rodney shouts, huffing and puffing in between his words.

"I had thought as well. I do not know what has happened!" Teyla replies, yelling over the gun firing and sounding just as confused.

"They're not Genii," Ronon interjects on his comm.

"What?! What do you mean they're not Genii?" Rodney snips back. "Of course they are. Look at their uniforms."

"No, Ronon's right," John adds "Those are our guns. We stopped giving Ladon our ammo and supplies years ago. Remember he said they didn't want to depend and take advantage of us. Plus, I saw one of their faces. They're Michael's men. This was obviously a trap."

"Michael's? But he's been dead for almost a year now," Rodney says with a worried tone. "Why start anything now?"

The whirling sound of Ronon's energy weapon discharging finally came to a stop as he kills the last man behind them. John motions his head to have him catch up with Teyla and Rodney. As he turns to follow their six a gunshot rings out. A wrenching pain pierces his abdomen so badly that it takes his breath away. Horrified by what they witness his three teammates turn and fire upon the last gunman, giving him no mercy.

Simultaneously his teammates shout out to him and run towards him. Everything seems to move in slow motion as he removes his hand from his midriff and revealing a blood soaked hand. He tries to walk forward, but his knees begin to buckle under him and Ronon catches John before he hits his head on the rock just inches away.

John tries to dismiss Ronon and struggles to get back on his feet. They can hear his breathing becoming more laborious, "It's nothing… looks worse than it really is. Let's just get to the gate and get home." He sees the expression on their faces. A mixture of disbelief and concern. He looks away to avoid their stares and sighs. He knows he can't fool them.

Just as they reach the Stargate and Rodney begins to dial, John doubles over in pain and gives a gut wrenching yell.

"Sheppard. Sheppard!" Ronon bellows, but as a darkness starts to overcome John's vision, Ronon's voice fades away.

"Sheppard. Sheppard!" Ronon shouts, trying to revive his friend that is lying half unconscious on Sheppard's floor.

"What was he saying?" Rodney says with a concerned tone. "Did he say Michael's men… and what did he mean about getting to the gate?"

Teyla feels his forehead, "He is extremely hot. The fever must be making him delirious." Her eyes sadden. "All we can do is to wait for Dr. Keller and find out what is wrong."

"Did he say anything to you, Ronon?" Rodney asks

"He said he thought he was coming down with something and a couple times I caught him grabbing his side, but I thought he was just trying to get out of sparring practice," Ronon answers softly with a mixture of guilt in his tone.

"Mr. Woolsey told me this morning that John told him he was taking a… sick day. Something about a stomach bug," Teyla interjects.

"Hopefully he didn't mean that literally," Rodney adds sarcastically. He sees the disdained look on their faces. "What? Not like he hasn't had weird things happen to him before."

John comes out of his unconsciousness and attempts to get up with his hand clenching the mid area of his shirt. He falls down and Ronon tries to keep him there. John becomes upset with him and tries to shrug him off, "This is NOT the first time I've been shot." He struggles to get up again and once more fails. "We need to get out of here before more of Michael's men return, especially with Teyla with us. Who knows what they want, but I'm not going to let them take anyone again."

His teammates look at each other with growing concern on their faces as John slips back into unconsciousness. Rodney is about to reach for his ear to click his comm, when Jennifer and her medical team show up.

"Well, it's about time," Rodney barks. Keller gives him a cross look.

"We came straight here, Rodney!" she snaps back abrasively. "Not like I stopped and talked on the way. "

"We know, Jennifer," Teyla interjects to reassure her. "We are just extremely worried about John. He seems to have a very high fever and he is acting delirious. He's been talking about Michael's men and being shot."

Keller listens to what Teyla is saying as she looks John over before getting him on the gurney, "Definitely has a high temperature….it's over 104.2 degrees." She begins to feel around John's abdomen area and then clicks on her comm. "Get the scanner ready and a lot of ice. Also, prep the O. R. if it's what I think it is we're going to have to do an emergency surgery."

"Operate?" Ronon questions as he stands next to the gurney.

"Yep. I think his appendix ruptured," Keller replies.

"Isn't that something kids usually get," Rodney asks and looking a bit confused. "I remember as a kid I…."

Keller interrupts and sighs, "Yes, normally kids do get this, but occasionally adults do and they burst if ignored long enough… which looks like happened." She begins to moves with her team out to of John's quarters. "I won't know more till after I do some testing…. he should be just fine. A few more holes in his abdomen and some antibiotic and he'll be back to normal in no time." She tries to make light of the "hole" comment and smiles, but no one joins her in the joke.

"We would like to be there in the infirmary when he gets out," Teyla says before Keller disappears around Sheppard's door way."

"That would be just fine," Keller yells as he rushes towards the infirmary. "Just wait where you usually do."

xxxxxxxxxx

John is slowly waking up, but he doesn't make the effort to open his eyes yet. He attempts to stretch, but as he tries he notices a few odd things. He definitely wasn't in his quarter's; the mattress has the way too familiar feel of the ones in the infirmary, there is pulling on his skin like he feels when he gets stitches, the painfulness he gets after surgery…another familiar feeling…. and the typical sterile smells and sounds associated with the infirmary.

He slowly cracks his eyes and sees three faces he sees every time he is in the infirmary. He knew it had to be bad if all three of them where there sleeping uncomfortably in chairs. A small moan escapes as he attempts to make himself more comfortable and it wakes up both Ronon and Teyla. Ronon gives Rodney a hard poke to get him awake.

"Ow! What the hell did you do that…. for?" he bellows before noticing why Ronon did it. "Oh…. I see."

Ronon is the first to walk closer to the side of Sheppard's bed, "How ya feeling?"

"Like I usually do after waking up in here….. like crap," John replies with a mischievous smirk. A look of relief shows on everyone's face when they see him joking. "What happened? Last thing I remember is puking my brains out in the bathroom."

"You do not remember anything else?" Teyla asks, sounding very exhausted. John shakes his head no.

"You're appendix burst," Rodney blurts out, almost satisfied that he got to say it first. "You are very luck that I suggested that we should go visit you. Otherwise who knows what would've happened." Ronon and Teyla roll their eyes at him.

"It was Teyla's idea, "Ronon clarifies.

"Well, I was about to suggest it before Teyla did. So, that should count," Rodney huffs.

They roll their eyes again and ignore his last comment.

"Appendix? I would've thought they'd take that out ages ago…. just for the fact they are always in the same area any way," John says half joking then lets out an exhaustive sigh. "How long was I out?

"Two days," Rodney answers with a yawn. "We all took turns waiting for you to wake up, but Jennifer thought today would be the day so we all waiting together."

John got quiet, "Two days?"

"Yeah, they kept you pretty sedated this time. You had a pretty high fever and an infection. You tried to pull out everything," Ronon pauses and smiles. "They wouldn't let me shoot you."

John's face twists in discomfort, "Glad to hear that."

Teyla shakes her head, "He did not." John sighs in relief. "But you did try to pull out of the IV and attempted to get out of bed several times."

"Really?"

"Yeah, we think you thought you were fighting Michael's men. You talked about them a lot," Rodney adds, also looking amused.

"It no longer matters," Teyla consoles. "What matter is that your fever is gone, your surgery went well and you are on your way to recovery." She pats his bed by his foot. "I will let Jennifer and Mr. Woolsey know you are awake."

John gives a small smile, "Thanks."

Rodney rubs his hands with excitement, "Good she's gone." John looks surprised.

Rodney and Ronon pull up chairs beside the bed side and exchange the different things John said and did while under the influence of his fever. Each taking too much enjoyment out of John's embarrassing moments. They were worried at the time, not that they would let Sheppard know, but now it was time to be happy and laugh….. especially since it wasn't at their expense.

The End.