Hanging by a Thread
SUMMARY: Rodney has saved them many times using his brain, but this time it's his physical attributes that are needed. Shepwhump and teamwork abound.
Lt Colonel John Sheppard hated waking to find himself restrained, yet again. It took a moment to jog his memory enough to remember what had happened.
'Oh, crap!
Panic struck immediately as he struggled, which sent his body into a puzzling weird spinning sway that made him dizzy. Through his haze, he had the presence of mind enough to take in his surrounding, looking for his teammates, but wishing they had escaped his present predicament. That wasn't to be though, as he saw three human size shapes dangling, like he assumed he was, from some kind of webby thread, Not only dangling, but each one of them was covered by a cocoon-like webbing. Luckily they were all within a short distance from one another and the webbing was transparent enough to make out who was who.
He stopped struggling long enough to ease the sickening sway somewhat. To his horror, he realized that his frantic struggling had not loosened the webbing at all from around his body. He was stuck fast within, unable to move his limbs more than an inch. The best he could do was move his fingers into a fist, though doing so wouldn't do any good if he couldn't move his arms.
Rodney was closest to him John took a moment to tap into his senses, It felt like they were alone in what appeared to be some kind of cavern. So, to not attract any undo attention, he whispered.
'Rodney...wake up".
He kept trying to prompt the scientist awake, each time getting louder, which was exactly what he didn't want to do. Frustration made him a bit reckless and he used the ever-so-slight room he had to struggle and put himself into a dizzying sway again. He found the more he struggled , the more he swayed...and if he was lucky, he'd bump into Rodney and he'd wake up.
It worked. Rodney woke with a start. Through his sleepy fog, he could make out movement. When he was alert enough to focus, his eyes flew wide open at seeing Sheppard swinging and twirling, wrapped in some kind of cocoon.
"Sheppard! Are you alright?!"
"Just dandy, McKay...how about you?!" John swallowed the bile making its way up. Funny how he felt almost sea-sick.
Rodney groaned when he realized he was in his own suspended cocoon thingy and then panic set in.
"Where are Teyla and Ronon? And where are we?!"
"Teyla and Ronon are on your other side...but unless you struggle and use the momentum to turn yourself, you can't see them. I suggest not to move...it's...". He couldn't finish the sentence without swallowing another bout of rising bile. He so didn't want to barf on himself, especially since it would have practically nowhere to go.
"Rodney...can you move your arms?'
"You just told me not to move!"
"Don't struggle McKay...just see how much room you have..."
Rodney tried and found he could move his arms a few inches. " Okay, I have some movement...about two inches, shoulders and arms...how about you?"
"I can only move about an inch..and struggling hasn't helped loosen this stuff at all."
Movement next to Rodney caught his eyes and he was relieved to find both Ronon and Teyla waking.
'Hey sleepyheads...welcome to hell..."
When Ronon started to struggle and his cocoon went into a wild spin, John cringed, while calling out to his friend to stop.
"Won't work, Chief...you'll just make yourself sick...and you don't want to do that...believe me."
Ronon stopped struggling as he growled out a Satedan curse.
"How much give do you have inside this thing, Big Guy...and you too Teyla?
He waited impatiently for them to test their movements...he really, really wanted to get out of here, especially before their "host" came back, seeking nourishment.
Teyla answered first. 'I have very little room to move. I do not think it is enough to reach anything helpful."
'Same here". Ronon started to struggle again. " This stuff doesn't yield"
"I noticed." John had an idea. "Okay, everyone suck in your stomach and hold...see if that gives enough room to bring your arms up."
After several moments and many grunts, John, Ronon and Teyla gave up, not gaining any kind of advantage and each one had moved around enough to be in position enough to see each other.
All three looked at each other with raised eyebrows as they saw and heard Rodney struggling...and apparently making progress. He was oblivious to his teammates as he freed one arm.
His cocoon was spinning wildly and it wasn't long before Rodney stopped his struggling and the sound of wreching filled the air. John had no choice but to stare at his friend as he threw up, thankfully onto the outside of his cocoon.
"Rodney..take a deep breath...you're doing good. None of us can move, so it's up to you buddy...take a minute, breathe slow."
He had sympathy for his friend...one thing he hated was throwing up. Even the thought made him wretch especially since he wasn't too far from doing so anyway.
"Rodney...uh, not to rush you or anything, but you need to hurry. We've been alone for awhile now but that...thing...is gonna be back and will most likely be hungry.'
It was a miracle that none of them had been snacked on already. The creature was not unlike a tarantula the size of a horse, except it had like a bazillion legs, kind of a mix between a tarantula and a millipede. As a kid, he had been fascinated by the alien shapes and sizes of bugs but since coming to this galaxy and encountering the Iratus Bug...the appeal was long, long, long gone. He shuddered at that memory.
Rodney's stomach finally calmed a bit and he was able to continue trying to get loose by sucking in his stomach to allow more room to move.
"You know, Sheppard...you guys owe me big time...once again, I am called upon to save your skinny asses. You all owe me a month of desserts once we get back home."
John couldn't help but chuckle. "Yeah, Rodney...having a bit more bulk...never thought that that would be a good thing."
Rodney stopped struggling and stared at him. " Is that a compliment or are you making fun...all three of you could use a bit more weight...well, not Ronon or Teyla so much..."
John stopped chuckling. "Just...look down and see how far off the ground we are. We don't need you falling to your death after getting free."
"Gee, Colonel..thanks for your concern." Rodney huffed as he looked down.
"I, uh...can't see the floor..but theres webbing under us, so if we fall it will act like a net.
"And hopefully it isn't a sticky mess we get stuck on."
Rodney stared at John. "You know...you really are being a killjoy right now...where's the ever-present positive attitude?!"
"It'll be back once you're free and get us free AND we get out of here before we become Mr Mutant Spider's meal of the day."
"Hurry up, McKay!" Ronon yelled, impatient to be free...or at least free enough to reach his blaster in case their captor showed up. His frustrations from not being able to free himself burned inside. He actually hoped the creature showed up...after they were free, of course.
Rodney had struggled enough to remove the webbing from around his shoulders and had both arms free now. He had to be careful not to dislodge the cocoon from its hanging thread, which was tricky to do.
He looked at John. "Now what?"
"Hate to say it, Rodney, but you've got to swing yourself over here and hopefully you can pull this stuff off me enough to reach my knife. Then you can cut the web holding the cocoon up.
"But, you'll fall...how about I just pull the webbing off enough for you to get free and you can then be hero for Ronon and Teyla."
'Not enough time Rodney. It will take too long. It's up to you to drop me, swing over to Ronon and Teyla, drop them and then yourself. It will be easier to cut us out if we're not spinning and swaying around."
Actually, John wasn't sure about that...what if the stuff below was sticky and Rodney got stuck too...they'd totally be screwed. But hanging here was not an option, so any chance was better than no chance at all.
It took Rodney longer than John had anticipated. He knew Rodney was doing his best but his spidey (ugh—not a good term to use right now) sense was kicking in that pretty soon their alone time would be over.
In the middle of that thought, John felt himself free fall and couldn't help the yelp that escaped at the sudden drop.
"Geez, Colonel...never heard you scream like a girl before." Rodney smiled as he spun around. All of a sudden, he wretched and had to swallow back the bile so he wouldn't barf again...the smell of his previous episode making itself known now that he wasn't busy freeing himself or the Colonel.
John glared up at Rodney who was about five feet above him. "Paybacks are a bitch McKay...hurry up and drop Ronon and Teyla. I think we're gonna have company soon."
"WHAT?! Rodney looked around wildly. "Do you see it?!"
'Not yet..but my...spidey...sense is kicking in"
Rodney grimaced. "Funny, Sheppard...real funny."
Rodney hurriedly cut Teyla, who even though had no control, seemed to fall gracefully onto the webbing next to where John lay helplessly.. Unfortunately when Ronon dropped, he fell right on top of John.
John had seen Ronon drop and knew he was in the way, steeling himself for the inevitable force of the big man's fall right on top of him. Something cracked and John couldn't help but cry out. It didn't help that Ronon was dead weight, unable to move himself off.
"Oooh, geez...sorry Colonel...but it's not like I had any choice." Rodney had heard the crack of a breaking bone and hoped it wasn't serious.
Ronon growled, already feeling guilty for injuring his friend and for not being able to move off him. He tried to wiggle off but each movement caused John to grunt with pain.
"McKay...get down here and get me off him. He's hurt.'
"No shit, Sherlock...if I drop myself I'll land on top of you too!"
"Swing out and drop..away from Teyla and us. Hurry up!"
Rodney had to swing out as much as possible which heightened his nausea as he spun around uncontrollably. He had to time it just right so he didn't land on any of his teammates.
He dropped, far enough away from them but once down, felt himself rolling down his side of the webbing —straight into John and Ronon. Another yelp from John let him know his injured friend did not appreciate the added jolt.
'As he shimmied out of his cocoon, Rodney said guiltily. "Sorry John...I'll pull Ronon off and get him free so he can get Teyla free while I get you free. Hang on...uh...what hurts, by the way?"
John couldn't honestly tell, so he didn't answer. It wasn't like he had a lot of air to even talk. Ronon on top of him was not conducive to his breathing in air but he suspected he had more than just one cracked rib...he knew that feeling all too well. Besides that, his leg was on fire, most likely the result of that crack he had heard. Besides that, everything else he was feeling was a mystery.
Luckily the webbing was not too sticky and John had been right...Rodney had an easier time cutting through the cocoon webbing on a more stable surface. He got enough open so Ronon could raise his arms and help remove the cocoon enough to slide out. He tried to get his weight off John as fast and as gently as he could.
Ronon took time to look at Sheppard, trying to assess the damage he had done.
John saw the guilt. "Ron'n...get Tey...la... free ...ASAP. Go...I'm...fine.
Ronon rolled his eyes, but knew they did need to get out of there..his own spidey sense was starting to wail too.
"McKay...get Sheppard out as fast as you can...use the webbing to stabilize his leg. 'Once I get Teyla free, we'll be over to help.
It took only minutes for Ronon to use one of his knives to cut Teyla free and she slid out of her cocoon and made her way over to John.
He looked up with questioning eyes. "You...Okay...Tey...la? The words broken by his inability to take in more than a short breath of air.
Teyla smiled, she would've bet everything that he would ask her if SHE was okay.
"I am fine, John. I am going to lift your shirt to check your ribs while Rodney and Ronon bind your leg. Please let me know if I hurt you."
He knew she was speaking to him, but he was lost in his pain as Rodney and Ronon manipulated his leg and wound the webbing thickly around his leg to immobilize it.
"Hmmm...this stuff is great for molding and stabilizing...Carson will love getting his hands on it"
Ronon had to agree, but now was not the time.
"Stop admiring the stuff Rodney... Teyla, how's his ribs?"
"HE'S...right...here..."
"Sorry, Sheppard...but I need to know if we can use this stuff to bind your ribs."
"That is a wonderful idea, Ronon. I believe John has several bruised if not broken ribs on his right side. Immobilizing his chest will make it easier for him to breathe and move."
John really liked the idea of being able to breathe better...but..moving...not so much. But like always, in these situations, there wasn't any choice.
Just as they finished binding his chest, they heard a chittering noise that made each one of them stop with wide eyes. They had to move...NOW!
Ronon pulled knives out for both hands, while Teyla raised her P90. Rodney snapped his fingers..."C4!...we need all the C4 we've got...I can spread it around the web so when that thing gets here, we can blow it up. Ronon and Teyla, get John as far away as you can...go to the left side..when I was swinging around, I thought I saw some light. It may be the way out and that thing is coming from deeper inside this cave.
"Sounds like..a good plan, Rodney. You sure...you can plant... the C4 in enough...spots to take that... thing down?"
Rodney wasn't really insulted by John's question. Most times, he was the one being protected and not the one doing the dangerous stuff. But not this time. The webbing was tricky to maneuver on and John would need Ronon's strength and Teyla's encouragement to get far enough away. It was up to Rodney to do this.
Raising his chin, Rodney was stoic. "Of course I can...just get yourselves far enough away."
The chittering got louder and a hairy leg popped out of a side tunnel, closer than what they had thought. They were running out of time.
"Hurry!" Rodney yelled as he scurried up the webbing to plant the first charge. By the time he got to the last, the giant spider thing was fully in the cave and making its way toward Rodney. Luckily it wasn't going too fast...well, not as fast as you'd think with so many legs.
The creature might not walk forward fast, but it spun around in record speed and sent a spurt of web towards Rodney. He had just enough time to move out of the way, except his outstretched arm which was now covered. The wet web was heavy on his limb but he grunted as he backed away, trying to rid his arm from being solidly encased. Without his arms to balance himself on the slightly flexible web beneath him, his leg fell through an opening. '
A girly-yelp of his own escaped, but he was so focused on getting himself back upright, he hadn't noticed that he continued a litany of high-pitched whines.
He was able to right himself but had to crab-walk backwards to make any headway, away from the creature. Affording himself a glance behind him to see where his team was, he was relieved to find they had found a tunnel.
Ronon was waving him on to hurry. He made it to the tunnel just as the spider creature was turning around to pursue his quarry. Rodney waited until it was in the optimum spot, pushed Ronon into the tunnel and then himself. He peeked out long enough to trigger the C4.
The explosion, thankfully did not cause a cave-in, and Rodney looked out when things settled, hoping his plan had worked. The creature was there, but not whole. It's body was mostly intact but it's front legs were scattered on what webbing was left. If it was alive, it wouldn't be able to move forward, at least Rodney hoped. As he watched, the webbing gave way and the spider creature plummeted down what Rodney could now see was a very deep cavernous ravine.
He slumped back and Ronon caught his eye. "It's dead..or at least it will be when it hits the ground..eventually. Thank goodness none of us fell...it looks like it's bottomless. At that moment they heard a thud.
'Well...not so bottomless then. "
Ronon slapped Rodney in the shoulder and smiled. "You did good McKay, real good. Let's get Sheppard home. Rodney grimaced...it was his fault Ronon had landed on John, injuring him. He figured John wasn't too happy with him right now.
Out of the cave, Ronon had found branches that were roughly crutch-shaped and they wrapped some webbing around what would be the under arm supports. Luckily, the jumper was hidden only a few hundred yards away.
A few hundred yards felt like a thousand, but John was determined to make it on his own. He flat-out refused when Ronon suggested that he could heft John over his shoulder to get to the jumper faster. Bruised ribs rubbing against Ronan's shoulder would've been worse than hoofing it back on makeshift crutches, with a broken leg, bruised ribs and shortness of breath.
Halfway there, gasping for what limited breath he could take while not expanding his rib cage too much and trying to keep his balance on one leg...and having an anxious Rodney hovering beside him, waiting to catch him if started to fall...made him curse now for being so stubborn. At least the humiliating trip over Ronan's shoulder would've been over by now.
"Sheppard...let me carry you...". Ronon knew the answer, already sorry he even suggested it in the first place as well as now. Seeing his friend suffer was hard but he understood. The glare John managed through the pain was not quite convincing.
John stopped and threw down the crutches. "Okay. I've get it...you guys need to help me..but no over the shoulder..."
Rodney perked up. ''Piggyback?'
Now John really was insulted..."No way, McKay."
Teyla then stepped forward and put one of John's arms over her shoulder while Ronon did the same on his other side. They lifted him high enough to support his weight but allow him to use his good leg.
As they came into view of the jumper, Ronon almost dropped hold of John to run ahead. The jumper was engulfed in a tangled, thick webbing.
"Guess we know what that spider thing was doing while it was gone."
It would take awhile for them to cut the jumper free. They got John comfortable lying against a tree and the three started removing the webbing.
John watched, pissed he couldn't help, but as he watched, he was again humbled by his amazing team. They were all so different and each one had their own special talents. He wondered when they had become so much more than just teammates. Teammates.. Friends...Family...it was all good.
Those thoughts helped him drift off into a comfortable sleep, knowing they had, and always would have his back. And he would do for the for each and every one of them...in spades.
FIN
Been working on this one for awhile. I like the one-shot concept better than multiple chapters, but I hope I didn't skimp on the details too much. Hope you liked it! Not entirely happy with the end, but didn't want to redo the infirmary stay that's been done a thousand times! Still loving SGA like always. ; )