Chapter i - P4X-497

"Can you hurry it up, up there? I probably have pneumonia by now." McKay said, griping. He was cold, wet and could hear squishing noises coming from his boots. The team was in single file heading back to the stargate. The narrow path beneath their feet made the passage sluggish going what with the rain.

They had been investigating P4X-497 for nearly five hours. No energy signals. No life signs. No nothing, really. Maybe a few insects here and there, but really nothing at all of any strategic value. Just lush plants as far as the eyes could see. A botanist's heaven: a veritable rain forest kind of planet. Lush green vegetation everywhere; trees that reached for the sky forming canopies over the forest floor.

The two suns of this planet were warm, creating stifling humidity since it had been raining constantly since their arrival. A steady, moderate shower; reminding you of a spring day on Earth: except this rain had already lasted for hours…days maybe. After stepping through the gate and into the light rain, John almost called the mission to an end. Temperature was warm in the nineties, sky was clear so he figured it would stop raining soon. So they trekked on listening to a litany of complaints from McKay. Despite the warm climate, being wet down to your skin made you feel cold deep inside. Everyone had gotten soaked to the skin since they didn't have their rain gear with them. John knew he would never hear the end of it from McKay as the light rain never ceased. The rain had penetrated their clothing right down to their very souls.

Rodney had estimated that the planet had already received seventy inches of rainfall thus far. The trees forming a canopy high overhead trapped the humidity below protecting the delicate plants underneath from the two hot suns that circled the planet. Most of the plants had large leaves; bending and stretching to catch every bit of sunlight they could. Thick vines draped down from the trees in a tangled mess on the rainforest floor.

This small single path, winding along a narrow ridge, was leading them back to the Stargate. The ravine dropped some eight hundred to one thousand meters down to their left before it bottomed out. Above them a solid mountain about six hundred meters high, had outcroppings of rocks you could see scattered here and there. The hillside was all covered with beautiful shades of green foliage; above and below the winding path. Teyla was taking point, followed by John and Rodney. Ronon was covering their six; although there was no danger. Each member leaving three to four paces in between the other; they were continually swatting plant leaves from their field of vision as they slogged along the narrow path. The ground was definitely spongy, but they kept up a fairly steady pace. Their boots were covered in mud. Following this path was becoming harder as they went along. The ground appeared like it couldn't hold much more water.

As the trek continued, they started to notice areas where water run offs had formed, forming water falls along the trail. All of a sudden a loud thunderous boom shook everyone to a stand still. Everyone looked towards the sky to see if it were a lightning strike that had caused the loud noise, but it appeared not.

"That was strange," commented John. "Anything on your scanner McKay?" Turning his head slightly in Rodney's direction who was about four paces behind him.

"Nope." Replied Rodney, short and sweet with a shiver of cold running down his spine.

"Well then, let's keep moving. I want out of these wet clothes sooner, rather than later." A shiver running down John's back as well.

As they took the next step to move, the ground shook and rumbled under their feet, just like an earthquake. Before anyone could react, the ground under John slid away taking him with it. His arms flying up in the air as he began to fall. Muddy water flowing around him like lava, John tumbled down the side of the ridge with its force, getting covered in mud and hitting plant after plant and a rock here and there. Limbs tangling, vines wrapping around his legs and body, he tried to reach out and grab at the plants that were whizzing by in hopes of slowing his decent. His hands were caked with mud and they slipped from the vines every time he tried to hold on. He rolled over jutted rocks, but the fast flow of mud and water kept him off balance, carrying him farther down into the ravine, away from his team.

For what seemed an eternity, the team watched in stunned horror as their CO was flushed down into the ravine by a flood of water and mud.

About two hundred meters down the ravine bank it all came to a sudden and abrupt stop. John's slim body was slammed into the trunks of two trees. His lower back hitting one of the trunks dead on with a solid thwack, while his head hit the other, but, with not as much force. He was laying somewhat on his right side; tangled in vines, plants and muddy water still rushing towards him, the force pressing his aching and damaged body further into the unyielding trunks of the trees he had just hit. He couldn't feel much of his body; as it was numb from falling down over rocks and plants. His head ached with a fierce passion and his vision began to blur. John was trying to hold onto consciousness; he wanted to yell to his team, but had no energy, his breath had been sucked from him. Darkness came and he slipped into the dark abyss of unconsciousness. From above there were shouts; yells of concerns that didn't make it past his ears.

"Sheppard!" yelled Ronon in his strong Satedan voice.

"John!" cried out Teyla. "I cannot see him, do you see him?" She said to her two team mates.

No reply was returned from either shout.

"He's not answering us. Oh god, oh god, oh god. How are we going…? What if he's…?" McKay didn't want to finish those statements afraid of what the answer might be. "Where are you Sheppard? Answer us." Shouted McKay. Then he quickly took out the hand held scanner from his jacket pocket and scanned for life signs. Rodney let out a silent sigh as his instrument still showed four life signs.

Ronon not wasting any more time started down the ravine. Cautiously sliding down, almost on his butt. With neither of his stunned team mates making an effort to follow, he looked back at them with determined eyes, "follow me." He boldly shouted. Ronon continued his slide down the one thousand meter ravine towards his fallen friend.

Without another thought, Teyla started down from where she was. She was three paces ahead of John when the ground opened up behind her and took him. It left in its wake a four foot wide gap in the trail between her and Rodney. All that remained was a steady flow of mud and water. Rodney, cut off from Teyla, followed Ronon down the steep ravine, doing his best to put his hands and feet in the same places where Ronon's had been moments ago. With his shorter stature he was finding it more difficult and his decent was slowed. He grabbed at plants still being covered by the light rain and praying that each hold wouldn't pull the plants out of the spongy ground.

Digging their heals into the soft earth to keep their balance; slowly the three made their way down the ravine looking for any sign of John, not knowing how far down he had traveled.

Looking ahead she saw a dark huddled mass wrapped in mud and vines, Teyla saw John with his back against the trees. The water and mud flowed under, around and against him. She started to move to her left in the direction of Rodney and Ronon. Grabbing for any hold she could get so that she didn't slide further down the ravine herself, while Ronon moved to his right. Ronon was the first to reach John; afraid to do anything until Teyla arrived. Covered in mud, his eyes closed, John's body looked lifeless. Ronon noticed a small amount of blood on the trunk of the tree. Teyla reached the spot a moment later at John's feet. Gasping at what she saw, she wiped the mud from her hand on her pants. Getting most of it off, but with her hand still stained, she carefully reached forward and placed two mud stained fingers on John's neck to check for a pulse. Looking back up at Ronon, and now Rodney, who was panting from the exertion, she gave a small smile.

"He is alive. His pulse is weak, but it is there." Her voice soft, tender and quiet.

Looking between themselves, they knew there was no way that they could carry John out of the ravine, to safety, without assistance. It had taken them over twenty minutes to reach him as it was and they had no means of making a liter. The decent was steep. Slippery. Finding footings and carrying extra weight up the ravine would almost certainly mean slipping further down instead of climbing out.

Ronon turned to Rodney, "I cannot carry him out of here. This rain is making it much too hard." He said. "We need to find shelter until I can get help."

When Rodney hadn't offer up any help or response to Ronon's statement, Teyla looked over at Rodney and rephrased the inquiry. "Can you tell if there are any caves or structures nearby we could use as shelter?"

The ravine, being very deep and over grown with plants made it impossible to see the rocky surfaces which lie beneath.

Rodney, snapping out of his daze, grabbed the scanner from his vest pocket; making a few calibrations before he scanned the area. Standing firm, Rodney slowly turned in a three hundred sixty degree circle, trying not to loose what little footing he had. "I think there might be something about forty meters to the right and down another meter or two," keeping his eyes trained on his scanner.

"Stay here. I will check it out." Ronon using his long legs, he stepped carefully through the mud flow and around Teyla to head off in the direction that Dr. McKay had pointed out.

Rodney, intensely watched Ronon's position on the scanner and what he hoped might be a cave, or rock outcropping that would give them shelter from the rain. Rodney gave Ronon directions. "There! Stop! It should be right there. Whatever 'it' is that I'm picking up should be right there."

Ronon turned and pushed through the forest bed of plants, feeling his way carefully along the side of the ravine. His hand came into contact with a rocky surface. He patted a little farther and his hand went right through. "I think I found something!" He yelled back to his two team mates. Pulling vines and pushing plants out of his way, Ronon pressed in further. Bending down and stepping out of sight from his team mates, Ronon entered what appeared to be a cave. It felt fairly large, ceiling high enough as Ronon was able to stand up. After his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he took a few steps inside, his senses telling him that it was empty. Walking further into the cave he barely made out another chamber. Checking for any signs of animals, Ronon stilled his breathing and listened carefully, eyes carefully scanning the floor of the cave looking for tracks. With none found, he decided it was safe enough to bring Sheppard here. The cave was warm and dry and would provide shelter from the rain outside while he went for help.

Upon coming back to the mouth of the cave, Ronon got his knife out and cut away the foliage that was in his way, making the entrance to the cave easier to access. Ronon climbed back over to Teyla and Rodney and told them what he had found. "It's a cave, two chambers from what I could see. No animals. It's dry and warm."

John still had not awakened. No sound, no movement, not even a moan when Teyla had put a field dressing on his bleeding head. Just a steady, rise and fall of his chest. Teyla had used her knife to cut away the vines that were wrapped around his body and legs. She carefully checked John for broken bones, moving her hands slowly along each leg and arm and around his ribs. She did not find anything broken. She couldn't tell right now, but she imagined that he would have some dandy bruising later.

Ronon sent Rodney ahead of him to the cave as Ronon reached down and pulled a freed John into a fireman's carry over his shoulder. Teyla lent a guiding hand while Ronon slowly stood up. He carefully put one foot in front of the other and made his way to the cave, slipping just once or twice. He did not want to loose his balance altogether and fall further down the ravine with an unconscious John on his shoulder. Upon reaching the cave entrance, Teyla guided him in. Rodney was inside using his light from his vest to shine a path towards the rear of the cave.

The cave was about ten meters deep before it branched off to another chamber. At it widest point the cave was eight meters wide. The floor was pebbled with stones. Rodney indicated to Ronon to put Sheppard down. It was a little warmer towards the back of the cave and the ground was not as bumpy, nor wet. Ronon gently bent over setting Sheppard down parallel to the cave's entrance with his head to Ronon's right. Teyla, always keeping a watchful eye, moved to John's right side as she knelt and removed John's backpack and guided his head to rest on the cave floor. From John's pack, Teyla pulled out an emergency blanket to cover their wet, mud covered, unconscious team leader.

Standing back up, Ronon professed, "I'll go to the gate to get help. It shouldn't take me long." And with nothing more said, Ronon was out of the cave and on his way to the Stargate before anyone could say anything challenging.

Teyla took the light out of John's vest pocket, turned it on and sat it by him, illuminating a small area around his bandaged head. She took her light out of her vest and did the same. Rodney was hovering nearby not knowing what he should do. Teyla was much better at this sort of stuff than he was. Teyla sat down by John's side and checked for a pulse again, pushing a lock of hair away from his forehead and prayed that he would wake up.

Rodney looked to his unmoving CO and at Teyla. He could hardly make out their features, the light was so dim. "Teyla, I'm going to set the scanner at the cave's entrance, to transmit a signal. It will act like a beacon, so when the jumper arrives, they will be able to use the jumper sensors and find us. I'll be right back."

Teyla nodded with understanding.

A few minutes later, Rodney returned, looking for signs that something had changed in Sheppard's condition. But nothing had changed in those couple of minutes he had been gone. John still lay there motionless, breathing slowly. Teyla started to hum; the sound soft and pleasant. Soothing. Her ministrations gentle, as she wiped away the mud from the Colonel's face, being ever so gentle as to not cause him any further harm. Rodney decided there was nothing that he could do for John right now, and waiting was not his thing. Being still, he was never good at; he was always in motion. So he decided to explore the cave and the second chamber. It was something that would keep him busy. Rodney bent down by Teyla's side, "Teyla, um…I'm going to check this chamber over here. Will you be ok? I mean here…alone with John?"

Teyla with her soft brown eyes looked over at Rodney and whispered, "we will be fine."

"Okay, I won't be gone long. I'll just be over there." Pointing over his shoulder to the second chamber. "Radio me if something changes." Teyla gave a slight bow of her head and a smile as her answer.

OoO

Ronon's long strides took him to the cave's entrance in no time. Stepping out of the cave and back into the rain and chill of the late afternoon suns, Ronon started to climb back up the side of the ravine to the path near the top of the ridge. It was no easier to climb up, than it had been to climb down to John thirty minutes earlier. Ronon grabbed hold of plants, his hands dug into the mud, anything to get leverage. Using his powerful leg muscles he climbed, breathing heavier with each step he took.

The Stargate was not far away when all this happened. Maybe another thirty or forty minutes along the ridge as they were walking. But now the urgency of getting to the gate and getting Sheppard help was all that he could think of. As he reached the path, he took a minute to breathe deep, his muscles aching. The climb had been hard and long. Speed was now of the essence. Turning in the direction of the Stargate, Ronon got into a fast paced run. With each long stride pounding into the sodden soil, muddy water splashed around, coating the back of his legs and his long jacket.

Twenty minutes later, although it seemed longer, Ronon reached the gate and dialed Atlantis. The gate exploded into its bright blue puddle. Now shimmering in front of him, Ronon reached down and entered his IDC.

"Off-world activation." Chuck announced to the control room staff.

Upon hearing the klaxons, Dr. Weir was already stepping out of her office. As she headed into the control room she inquired, "who is scheduled to be back now?" Looking to the Canadian for an answer, she stopped by his side and waited.

"Colonel Sheppard's team ma'am, receiving Ronon's IDC." Chuck said looking at his screen showing confirmation of the IDC.

"Lower the shield." Weir said.

Chuck reached over and pressed the shield button on the console to allow John and the others to return safely.

Weir spoke into her comm, "the shield is down, come on through." As she waited for John and his team to come through the Stargate, she walked to her place on the balcony overlooking the gate. She was a bit surprised to see only Ronon. He was covered in mud from head to toe and breathing hard. Weir quickly headed down the stairs to talk to him.

"Where's John and the rest of the team?" She inquired, worry beginning to show.

Ronon was breathing heavy and panting, leaning forward with his hands on his knees. "There was a mud slide. Sheppard was taken down a ravine about two hundred meters. He unconscious. Teyla and McKay are with him. We found a cave out of the rain..." He wanted to say more, but he needed to get his breathing under control first.

Weir reached up and tapped her comm, "Major Lorne…assemble a rescue team and meet Ronon in the jumper bay in ten minutes." Not waiting for a response from the Major, she tapped her comm for the second time, "Carson…grab your bag and meet Major Lorne in the jumper bay in ten minutes. John is unconscious and possibly injured."

"What happened to him, Elizabeth?" Inquired the good doctor.

"All we know is he was caught in a mud slide and fell about two hundred meters down a ravine." Weir explained with a tone of urgency in her voice.

"Aye, I'll get my supplies and get to the jumper bay." With that said the doctor was off.

Weir looked at Ronon and just said, "go!" moving her hand in a shooing motion towards the jumper bay.

Ronon took the stairs two at a time until he reached the jumper bay, leaving a trail of mud in his wake. Major Lorne, Lt. Ruiz and two other Marines where putting rescue gear into Jumper Three. Ronon quickly explained the situation on the planet. As they hauled the last of their gear into the jumper, the doctor was just coming through the door with his.

"You better put a backboard and full stretcher in there too, Major." Beckett remarked walking up the back hatch ramp.

"Already done Doc. Ronon said that the planet is mostly a rain forest; doesn't sound like there will be anywhere to park. So we are going to just hover in the ravine." Major Lorne reported.

"Do we have everything?" The Major looked at his team, Ronon and Beckett. Getting satisfactory nods, he said, "saddle up!"

Within minutes Jumper Three was hovering in the gate room ready to go through the event horizon. Weir tapped her comm, "bring them home Major."

"Will do ma'am." Lorne responded as Jumper Three thrust forward through the gate.

Upon exiting the gate on the planet, Lorne looked at Ronon and asked, "now where?"

Before Ronon could respond, Lt. Ruiz, who was piloting Jumper Three, turned to Lorne, "Sir, we are picking up a signal. It looks like it is coming from there." Lt. Ruiz pointed at the HUD screen and pointed at the white blinking light.

"Alright Lieutenant head that way." Lorne looked at Ronon and got a satisfactory nod that they were indeed headed in the right direction.

In just a few minutes Jumper Three was slowing and maneuvering down into the ravine. Lt. Ruiz piloted the jumper as close as he could to the side of the ravine. Hovering even with the cave entrance, the hatch was lowered to match up with the ground just outside the caves entrance. "Keep it steady Lieutenant; I'm going with the Doc and Ronon. Sergeant Miller, stand guard at the caves entrance." The Major took the final step off the ramp and onto the soggy ground, following Ronon and Dr. Beckett who were five paces ahead.

OoO

Fifteen minutes or so had passed, when Rodney came out of the second chamber with his hands full. The lighting they had was not much, so Teyla could not see what it was that Rodney was carrying. Walking over to Teyla and Sheppard, he knelt down and showed Teyla what he had found. In his hands were a stack of blankets. Together they carefully put a couple on John's still form, tucking them firmly around him in hopes of staving off shock. Rodney took a blanket and wrapped it around Teyla's shoulders. Her head tipped in gratitude.

"There's more, I'll be right back." Excitedly he stood up and went back to the chamber. Coming back a few moments later with a lantern in his hand. He got the lantern lit and it put a nice warm glow throughout the cave. Much better than the two small lights from their vests.

"Rodney, where is this coming from?" Teyla had a puzzled look on her face.

"The chamber over there if full of stuff, I saw the blankets and thought we could use them. There are more boxes, crates and bags to look through. It looks likes someone at some point stock piled this stuff, maybe a black-marketeer or space pirate, I don't know. All I do know is that the chamber is full of this sort of stuff and who knows what else. I don't think we have to worry about anyone coming back for it. It doesn't look like anyone has been here in years….lots of years…hundreds of years. The dust over the crates hasn't been touched in a very long time. The moderate temperature in the cave has kept most of it from rotting." He exclaimed with an exhausted smile. "How is Sheppard?"

Teyla's gaze returned to John, "he has not moved, nor has he woken. I'm concerned, Rodney."

Concern showed in his own eyes and a lump had started in his throat, Rodney looked at them, "he'll be okay. Carson will fix him up as soon as we get back to Atlantis." He paused for a second then continued. "If its ok with you, I'd like to go back to the chamber and see what else there might be."

Without a word, Teyla just nodded her approval.

Rodney turned and headed back to the chamber. Once there he found another lantern and got it going. Turning his light off and putting it back into his vest, he set about his investigation of the rest of the contents of the chamber.

The chamber was not as large as the first one. There were sacks, boxes and crates stacked everywhere. Rodney wasted no time in getting started; who knew what could be in all the crates and boxes.

Teyla kept watch over John. Still humming to him softly and willing him to wake, she snuggled under her blanket a bit more, trying to keep the cold away. She un-wrapped his right hand out from under the covers to hold it. Her hand cradling John's and her thumb rubbing circles on the back. Teyla needed the contact; needed to feel John's presence with her. She stopped her humming as she felt her hand being squeezed. Looking down at John who had started to stir. Under the blankets she could tell he was trying to get his other hand and arm free. His head moved from side to side with a small groan escaping his parched lips.

"John." She said softly. "John, can you hear me?"

He was struggling to get free. He couldn't move, something was holding him in place. He could hear someone calling his name. A soft voice, like a whisper in the winds. He felt someone caressing his hand. But he just couldn't quite get his body to cooperate. Not yet at least. John struggled to open his eyes. He had a sense of being warm, yet he was cold. 'Why am I cold? What happened?' He thought. His mind was clouded; it was a challenge to think clearly. His head throbbed to the beat of his heart. 'There it was again, that voice. I should know that voice.' He said to himself.

"John."

John was more than determined this time; he would get his eyes open and see who belonged to that angel's voice he was hearing, no matter that his head had a jackhammer inside. Slowly he pried his eyes open, one at a time, blinking several times to clear his vision. He could see rock above him in the soft yellow glow that danced about him. He allowed his head to loll to the right where he thought he heard the beautiful voice.

"Teyla?" John's voice came out as a half-audible rasp, his dry throat causing his words to come out soft and scratchy.

Her soft brown eyes filled with joy, "yes John, I am here. How do you feel?"

There were many questions he wanted answers too, like where he was and why was he wet and most of all why his head hurt so badly. All he could squeeze out of his dry mouth right now was, "Rodney? Ronon? Where?" Hoping that Teyla would understand what he was asking. He had looked around, but didn't see them hovering near by and hadn't heard any other sounds around him. As team leader, he needed to know that his team mates were safe.

Teyla knew exactly what he meant. "Ronon went to the gate to get help. He is fine. Rodney is searching another chamber in this cave we found. He is also fine," looking off into the direction of the second chamber.

Processing the information that Teyla had provided, John licked his lips and tried to speak again. Teyla gently lifted his head and pressed the canteen to his lips for a small sip of water. The water felt heavenly against his dry mouth. He savored every bit.

"Thanks." John said as he tried to get his thoughts together.

"You did not answer me before. How do you feel?" Teyla repeated her inquiry a little more sternly.

John gave her his most reassuring grin and whispered, "I'm fine." John closed his eyes from the struggle; his eyelids felt like lead weights. If truth be known, he felt like crap. His head was pounding, his body ached and he was wet, cold and tired.

"You must keep your eyes open, John. You cannot sleep. You need to stay awake. Talk to me." Teyla laid a reassuring hand across his forehead and cheek, still holding his right hand, she squeezed.

John was trying too, but his eyelids were so damn heavy. His head pounding from the jackhammer inside of it, hammering in constant rhythm with the beating of his heart. Doing his best, his eyes opened and moved around the cave ceiling, trying to remember what had happened. It was coming back to him in small pieces. He remembered the rain. He remembered he was cold and wet. He remembered the loud boom and the ground shaking.

"I f..f..fell." John slurred out.

Teyla tapped her comm and informed Rodney that the Colonel was awake. Rodney had been working in the second chamber for the better part of an hour. She tried to get Ronon, however, most likely due to the rock; the signal was not getting out. And she didn't want to leave John alone to walk to the entrance to try Ronon again.

From the direction of the second chamber Rodney came a bustling over. He has a sparkle in his eyes, and was carrying a medium sized crate in his hands. His steps were quick and sure, as he walked over to Sheppard and Teyla. His eyes were wide like the Grand Canyon. He grinned like the Cheshire Cat. Rodney could hardly contain himself. Kneeling down and placing the crate gently before him on the cave floor, on John's left side, he grinned at his team leader.

"Okay, I give…why are…you Mr. Happy?" John inquired. Still not being able to get his thoughts out in one coherent sentence.

Rodney's grin widened, if that was even possible. He could not stop thinking of the possibilities. He could not stop smiling or humming, his head bobbing back and forth on his shoulders. Slowly he opened the crate that he had set before him and pulled out a ZPM. "Look what I just found! And not only this one, but one more just like it. Yes, you heard correctly. Two. A total of T.W.O. Can you believe it? Do you know what Atlantis can do with two fully charged ZedPM's? Do you? Do you? With two fully charged ZedPM's the shielding capability would cover the Athosians on the mainland. We might be able to fire up the star drive. We could supply power to all areas of Atlantis. We could power up the labs and finally after all these years figure out what they do. God! I hope they are fully charged. I have not looked in all the crates and boxes in the chamber yet. I'm only about a third of my way through. And there could be more. Did I mention that I'm not sure if they are fully charged or not, but what a find! So far two ZedPM's!"

"Rodney. Breathe!" John said with all the air he could spare from his lungs before the physicist passed out. It was a great find. Now if they were fully charged, that would be even better.

Rodney snapped back to reality, taking a deep breath in. Still reeling in the joy of finding two ZedPM's, he looked at Sheppard, "Oh…Sorry." His mouth continued. "How are you by the way?"

John looked up at him and gave his best, "I'm fine."

A sound at the cave's entrance brought the three explorer's attention together. All looking towards the opening, they made out the large frame of Ronon leading what looked like Beckett and Lorne into the cave. Outside, even at this distance, John could hear the hum of a jumper.

"Sheppard, you ok?" Ronon's voice echoed in the cave.

"I'm fine." John stated simply.

"I'll be the judge of that lad. Now let me have a look at ya." Teyla moved to stand near Ronon, allowing the Doctor access to Colonel Sheppard. Beckett lowered himself near John, in Teyla's place. Opening his bag and getting out his stethoscope and blood pressure cuff. "Teyla luv, how long was the Colonel unconscious?" Beckett un-wrapped the Colonel from his blankets gaining access so he could listen to his heart and lungs. Cool air brushed over the wet uniform; a small gasp slipped through the Colonel's lips.

"About fifty to fifty-five minutes. He just woke up." She politely said.

"Thanks luv. Is there anything else I need to know, as I know the Colonel will not be forthcoming?" Carson paused; a questionable look crossed his face and asked, "where did you get these blankets?"

Before Teyla could speak Rodney answered, "I found them. They were in that chamber back there."

While Beckett did his ministrations, taking pulse, blood pressure, listening to heart and lungs; checking for broken bones, John's focus was elsewhere; he hadn't noticed that when Beckett checked his legs for broken bones that he hadn't felt his hands go up and down his legs. His focus was on Major Evan Lorne, his Second in Command. "Major, I have a job for you. I need you to get a detail here and go through some crates and boxes. Look what Rodney found besides blankets." John pointed to the ZPM that Rodney was still holding dearly.

"Yes Sir!" Major Lorne snapped with a grin on his face. Lorne knew what the implications were if Atlantis had even one more fully charged ZPM. Lorne headed back to the cave entrance. Stepping up on the ramp and into the jumper, he started advising Lt. Ruiz to open a connection back to Atlantis.

"Colonel, if I can just have a look in your eyes." Beckett said pulling out the dreaded penlight; trying to quell a squirming Colonel.

It didn't take Lorne long. Upon coming back to where the Colonel was, Lorne reported, "okay, Dr. McKay I have a second jumper with a team ready to go through crates coming through the gate in ten minutes. Why don't you show me what we are dealing with here?"

"Right this way Major." Rodney said. Putting his precious ZedPM back into the protective crate, and getting up, he looked down at Sheppard before he walked away, "are you really alright, that was some fall you took?"

"Rodney, I told you, I'm fine. And Dr. Beckett will tell you the same thing. Right Doc?" John gave the doctor his half grin smile.

Beckett being put on the spot just said, "I'll let ya know after I get him back to Atlantis and thoroughly checked out."

Holding the crate in front of him, afraid to let it out of this sight, Rodney moved to go back to the second chamber. Because he was so excited at the find he wasn't paying attention to where he was at or going. Rodney misjudged and stumbled over John's feet. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I didn't hurt you did I?"

John's face flashed a look of surprise. He didn't feel anything. 'Why did I not feel Rodney step on my leg? Better yet, why can't I move my legs?' These thoughts scared John. Looking up at a scared Rodney he just said, "no."

"Oh thank God!" Rodney gasped and he and Lorne made there way over to the second chamber.

Carson caught the look on John's face and knew right away something was wrong. He wanted to say something, but John's eyes pleaded at him to stay quiet. So Beckett did the next best thing. "Teyla, Ronon, would you be so kind as to go back to the jumper and get the stretcher and backboard for me. I'm almost ready to get the Colonel out of here." With a nod from Teyla and a grunt from Ronon the two headed for the jumper.

Once they were gone and out of ear shot, Carson turned to John and asked him point blank, "can you feel or move your legs son?"

John didn't want to answer that question. 'Ask me any question but that one Doc.' He thought. He was afraid of what it might mean. Locked on Carson's face he just shook his head 'no' although moving added to the pain already banging inside his head. Unable to voice it out loud, as if by doing so, would make it true.

"Okay Colonel, just relax. I'm going to put you on a backboard just in case." Beckett said with a lump in his throat. "Do you remember anything from your fall?"

"Only bits and pieces. Doc. I don't want my team to know. I don't want anyone to know right now. Do you have to use the backboard?" John whispered.

"Aye Colonel I do. But I can let them know it is just precautionary since you took a tumble down the ridge." Beckett's explanation eased the Colonel's frightened mind.

"Thanks Carson," was all John could muster up to say.

By the time they were done with their private conversation, Teyla and Ronon had returned with the backboard and stretcher that Dr. Beckett had sent them after. Rodney and Major Lorne returned at the same time from the second chamber. It was time to get the Colonel home.

Taking the backboard from Teyla, placing it on the cave floor on John's left side, Carson thanked Teyla. "Thank you luv."

Addressing the group before him, Carson explained what was going to happen and why. He also told them he needed their help to roll the Colonel onto his side to get the backboard in place. Assigning jobs to each, Carson took John's head. He told Ronon and Lorne to roll John's shoulders and hips. Rodney took care of John's legs and Teyla would slide the backboard underneath John once he is on his side.

Carson folded John's arms across his chest and told him to keep them there. With everyone in their place, "On the count of three. Everyone ready? Colonel, just let us do all the work." Carson looked to each face to get acknowledgement. "Okay then, one, two…three." With that, John was rolled onto his right side and Teyla slid the backboard underneath him. Gently the four men rolled Sheppard back down. Carson secured John to the backboard. When he was done, the four men carefully picked John up and placed him on the nearby stretcher.

John gathered enough of his voice, and hoped it would sound commanding, "are we ready to go home now? I'm still wet and cold."

John got a few nods and a 'Yes Sir'. The four men each took a corner of the stretcher and lifted John up. Walking carefully to the cave entrance, out into the light rain, they stepped onto the lowered hatch that Lt. Ruiz had kept steady and into Jumper Three. They placed Colonel Sheppard on the floor in the rear compartment. Carson tutted about John while Ronon, Rodney and Teyla each took a seat on the bench.

Lorne looked down at his CO, "Sgt. Miller and I will stay here Sir and wait for Jumper Six to arrive. I'll get them started going through the chamber. See you back in Atlantis Sir. And Dr. McKay… we'll bring home every ZPM we find. Don't you worry about them, they'll be safe with us." McKay nodded and Major Lorne stepped back off the hatch and into the caves entrance to keep out of the rain. The hatch raised and within minutes Jumper Three was on its way back to Atlantis.