Sheppard and Teyla headed toward the section of town with the most buildings still standing.
"Major?" Teyla said, her tone more of questioning than mere conversation.
"Teyla?" Sheppard answered parroting her tone.
"Is it … wise to send Doctor McKay and Lieutenant Ford off together?"
Sheppard glanced up at the mountain with a shrug. "They're both gonna have to learn to get along at some point, Teyla. Now is as good a time as any. I know Ford won't really do anything to McKay even if McKay doesn't."
"I see." She knelt and picked up a small beaded chain. The metal was slightly green and reminded Sheppard of the old pennies his grandfather used to collect. There was a string of three tiny beads that looked like polished stones in the center; he thought it might have been a child's bracelet at one time. She carefully polished the beads with a thumb, then set it carefully back on a nearby stone. "These people were more than just miners," she said as she stood. "They were artisans as well."
Sheppard merely nodded and filed the information away in his head.
"This wasn't just caused by erosion," Sheppard said as they walked past yet another rubble-strewn area a few minutes later.
"No," Teyla agreed her tone a mix of anger and sadness. "This was Wraith. They destroyed the buildings so the people would have nowhere to hide. Soldiers on the ground would have herded the people into groups for the culling beams."
"But they left the larger buildings alone? That doesn't make sense." Sheppard pointed to one of the large, more industrial-looking buildings in front of them. The building was three stories high and several chimneys pierced the sky where the wooden roof would have been. A large chunk was missing from the corner of one side, but the rest was relatively intact.
Teyla shrugged. "It could be there were no people around these buildings for the Wraith to bother with destroying them," she said.
They'd finished exploring the first of the industrial buildings when they heard Ford's slightly staticy voice on the radio.
"Go ahead, Lieutenant," Sheppard said and glanced toward the mountain again.
"Finally," Ford muttered seemingly to himself then said, "Good to hear you, Major. Doctor McKay has informed me the radios don't work inside the mine, sir. Something about copper bouncing the signal."
Sheppard frowned slightly at Teyla as she stopped next to him. "Understood. Anything of interest up there?"
"Not sure, sir. We were still pretty much just inside the mine entrance when McKay figured out about the minerals."
"How did he do that?" Sheppard asked in a low voice to Teyla. "If the radios don't work in the mine where are you, and where's McKay?"
There was a slight hesitation before he heard Ford respond. "I'm several feet away from the entrance to the mine, sir. Doctor McKay is still inside. I told him not go anywhere and to stay where he was," he added in a slightly defensive tone.
Sheppard shook his head. "Lieutenant, which part of mission conditions did you not understand?" Sheppard asked angrily. "This is the second time you've left a civilian alone. You know better than that."
"Yes, sir," Ford replied, his voice stiff at the reprimand. "But I thought you should know about the possible communications issue, sir."
Teyla watched him, a strange look on her face. He didn't understand why she found him so fascinating but didn't have the time to find out.
"Don't stay up there too long, Lieutenant," Sheppard said after another moment to let his message sink in.
"Won't be a problem, sir. Doctor McKay is apparently claustrophobic." Sheppard winced at the disdainful tone of Ford's voice as well as the reminder. He'd completely forgotten about the claustrophobia when he'd sent McKay to explore the mine.
"We'll meet back at the lake in an hour," Sheppard said and signed off.
They set off for another building and Teyla asked, "Why are you concerned with Doctor McKay being left alone, Major? He is an adult."
Sheppard laughed a little, "Are you sure about that?" he asked with a smile. When Teyla only stared back at him, he continued, "Yes, McKay is an adult, but he's also a civilian which means he doesn't always think about whether or not something is dangerous."
"As I said before we left, Major, there is nothing dangerous about this planet, it is deserted."
Just then they heard a thunderous roar from the direction of the mine. They both looked up in time to see a cloud of grey dust waft from the entrance to the mine.
"You were saying?" Sheppard asked as they both took off at a run.
~*~*~*~ SGA ~*~*~*~
McKay felt something large and heavy slam into his back and knock him to the ground as another chunk of rock hit him just below his right eye. At the same time he heard Ford yelp in pain. He tried to cover his head but his right arm refused to move so he huddled on his left side and ducked his head down as best he could. More rock bounced off his back and legs and McKay curled even tighter and waited for the world to end.
After what seemed like hours, the crash of falling rock stopped and McKay slowly uncurled and opened his eyes. He heard the trickle of smaller stones as they rattled around him, but everything else was eerily quiet. He'd lost the flashlight at some point, but by some miracle it was still working, a dim glow peeking out of the stifling darkness from under some of the rocks near his feet.
He carefully raised his head then slowly started to move the rest of his body. He saw the flashlight and crawled over to the glow fishing the light out of the rocks and coughing from the dust in the air. He groaned as the action jarred his shoulder reminding him of possible injuries. His right arm still refused to work properly. The bandage on his hand was gone and the cut oozed blood where something had slammed into his hand. He was sure there were bruises all down his back and he was having trouble seeing out of his right eye. He coughed some more in the bad air and looked for the mine entrance.
"This is not good," he said when he saw the rock fall where the entrance used to be. "Really, really, not good." He coughed harder, hugging his injured arm to his chest. "The radio won't work and no one's gonna find you under all of that." He could feel the claustrophobic panic starting as his breathing hitched and his heart raced. "Calm down," he told himself. "Don't panic. You can't panic. You have to find a way out," he muttered and climbed painfully to his feet. He tried moving his right arm and nearly ended up back on the ground from the pain. "Don't," he whimpered. "Note to self, don't do that again."
He kept the flashlight in his left hand and hunched slightly as he slowly shuffled to the rock fall less than a meter in front of him and his breath hitched again as he realised just how close he'd come to being buried alive.
He made it to the edge of the piled rocks and stopped to cough again. He was startled to hear an echoing cough and suddenly remembered Ford had been in the mine with him. "Ford?" he called hoarsely. "Lieutenant?" He moved the flashlight over the wall of rock blocking the opening to the mine and found Ford lying on his stomach, half buried in the rubble.
McKay shuffled over and knelt down next to the Lieutenant. "Ford?" he called again and tried to move the rubble off the other man one-handed. He wondered where the P-90 and the other flashlight went, but soon found both crushed under more rock, Ford must have been holding it when the avalanche started he decided, but really didn't care beyond the fact the light source was now useless.
Ford coughed and groaned. "Wha … What the hell happened?" he whispered and coughed again.
"I think you set off a booby trap," McKay told him, hissing in pain as he jarred his right arm again.
Ford shifted under the weight of the rocks and groaned again.
"Don't do that, Lieutenant," McKay said. "I have no idea how badly you're hurt, here. You could have a broken back or something for all we know."
"I don't think … it's that bad, Doctor," Ford told him faintly, but he stopped moving. "I can feel … my legs and feet. Mostly it's just … hard to breathe."
"See," McKay said and he heard the note of panic in his voice again. "Broken ribs, punctured lungs, god knows what else." He shifted another rock off Ford's back and the Lieutenant managed to pull his legs free. After another coughing fit, Ford rolled over and carefully sat with his back against the mine wall. McKay shifted until he was sitting against the rock fall a meter away. He watched as Ford glanced slowly around the space then reached into a pocket of his vest and pulled out several glow sticks. He cracked the sticks, shook them slightly and dropped on the ground between them. McKay clicked off the flashlight to save the battery.
"You okay, Doctor McKay?" Ford asked. "You don't … look so good." He pointed to his own face and McKay reached up to feel the heat coming from a bruise on his face.
"You don't look ready to take the town by storm either, Lieutenant," McKay bit back and coughed again. "I'll be fine," he grumbled. "What about you?"
"Broken ribs, maybe ... not sure … though," Ford wheezed. "Gonna be bruised … as all hell, too."
McKay snorted a laugh, he hugged his arm and rocked slightly until the pain diminished. "You and me both."
"So what happened?" Ford asked again. "Who booby traps … a mine?"
McKay tried to glance behind him at the rock fall, but the movement pulled at his shoulder and he hugged his arm with a groan of his own.
"Doctor McKay," Ford asked and inched closer. "Where exactly … are you hurt?"
McKay looked up at Ford and was surprised to find sympathy on the man's face instead of the disdain he'd come to expect.
"Shoulder," McKay finally admitted. "I think it got banged pretty good by some of the rocks." His breathing started to hitch again, a combination of pain and panic as he realised he still couldn't move his fingers. "I can't seem to move my arm or fingers at all," he whispered.
"We need to … immobilise it," Ford said and reached forward.
McKay flinched away from the Lieutenant. "Don't," he gasped in a low voice.
"I'm only … trying to help," Ford told him and McKay could hear the hurt in the other's man's voice.
"I know, just don't touch me."
Ford raised his hands in surrender and said, "All right … I won't touch you." Ford paused and took a few deeper breaths. "Unzip your vest … and try to get your hand inside. The vest will help … support your shoulder … a little. Maybe … it won't hurt as much."
"Right, fine," McKay said and unzipped the front of the tac-vest and carefully wedged his still bleeding hand inside. He was panting and whimpering by the time he was done.
"You okay, Doctor?" Ford asked coughing and holding his ribs.
"Just peachy," McKay panted, and slowly uncurled from the ball he'd curled into to help with the ache.
"So, who booby-traps … a mine?" Ford asked again spacing the words out between careful breaths.
"Wraith," McKay said.
"The Wraith … booby-trapped a mine? Why?"
McKay rolled his eyes. "No, Lieutenant, the miners booby-trapped it. Think about it, Wraith come in here, set off the trigger, roof comes down on them, no way to call for help."
Ford looked around again. "Not much … of a trap," he said, "You're not gonna … catch more than a few … Wraith like that."
McKay tried to shrug and quickly changed his mind. "Every little bit helps. Could be this wasn't the only trap, too."
"You mean … the Major and Teyla," Ford realised and tried to sit up further, he only ended up curled in a painful ball of his own for his trouble.
"Stop moving around so much," McKay admonished. "Sheppard's going to be mad at me enough as it is without you making it worse."
Ford settled against the wall again and gave McKay a puzzled look. "The Major's not … gonna be mad at you, Doctor McKay."
McKay snorted. "Wanna bet? I saw the trigger, I knew what was going to happen."
"You tried … to stop me, Doctor. I didn't listen," Ford told him.
"In that case, he'll just kill both of us," McKay grumbled and leant his head back against the rock fall trying to keep the panic under control. "Assuming I can even get us out of here for him to do anything," he mumbled under his breath.
Ford tried to laugh but it came out as another wheezing cough instead. "Nah, Major Sheppard … seems to like you too much … to kill you, Doctor."
"We need to get out of here, Lieutenant," McKay said after a few minutes of silence. "I really need to get out of here." He swallowed and tried not to look at the walls or roof of the mine. He was trapped. His arm wouldn't work, his head hurt, his whole body hurt, actually, Lieutenant Ford had who knew what kind of internal injuries, and he would have to figure way out for both of them.
"You're really … claustrophobic?" Ford asked and McKay could hear the disbelief in his voice.
McKay glared across at the other man. "Of course I'm really claustrophobic, Lieutenant. Did you think I was kidding?" McKay waved off any response Ford could give and slowly climbed back to his feet. He turned the flashlight back on and studied the rocks blocking the exit.
"The Major … will find us, Doctor," Ford said from behind him.
Rodney just shook his head carefully. "You don't know that, Lieutenant."
"He won't … just leave us," Ford tried again. "He'll get us out of here."
"Assuming they know what's happened and, oh yes, that they haven't been blown up by some other booby-trap lying around in those ruins," McKay retorted bitterly.
"They will come find us," Ford insisted his voice just as stubborn.
McKay turned to face Ford still sitting against the wall. The Lieutenant did not good at all in the greenish-yellow light from the glow sticks. McKay could see bruises forming on his face as well as a bloody scrape down one cheek. He sat with his arms wrapped around his chest and he could hear a wheeze as Ford took shallow breaths.
"I wish I had your confidence, Lieutenant," he growled, "but I learned a long time ago you can't trust anyone except yourself to get out of trouble." He turned his back on Ford and went back to studying the rock fall. He stuffed the flashlight carefully under his right arm and tried to move a few of the rocks with his left hand, but the larger stones were tightly wedged. He estimated the fall was a couple of meters thick at least judging by where they were in relation to where he remembered the entrance to be.
"That's your problem, you know," Ford said stiffly as McKay tested different sections of the blockage. All he managed to do was was set off several smaller cascades of rock around his feet.
"What?" McKay asked in surprise and turned around.
"You don't trust us," Ford explained, purposely keeping his sentences short. "Your team is there … to help you. You want us … to trust you? You have to trust us."
McKay sighed and sat back down, his knees drawn up to his chest. "You better hope you're right, Lieutenant, because the only way we're getting out of here is if Sheppard finds a way to dig us out from the other side."
~*~*~*~ SGA ~*~*~*~
Sheppard raced up the dirt track to the mine, heart pounding from more than just running. Teyla was on his heels her face set.
They reached the mine entrance and slid to a halt on the loose gravel.
"Ford! Rodney!" Sheppard yelled as he unclipped the P-90 from his vest, set it aside, and started pulling at the rocks in front of him. He threw the loosen rock off to one side with a clatter, but more of the rock fall simply shifted into the space he'd created. Instead of stopping, however, Sheppard just pulled at the rock faster, part of his brain telling him if he moved fast enough he could get ahead of the slipping rock.
"Major? Major!" Teyla said behind him and pulled at his arm as he shifted another load of rock off to the side of the entrance.
"What?" Sheppard turned on her, his face angry. "We need to get them out of there. They could be hurt."
Teyla stood back and raised her hands, her voice calm. "I understand that Major, but this is not the way. The two of us cannot move the rock safely, we need help."
Sheppard bent with his hands on his knees, breathing hard. He looked over at the rock blocking the mine and sighed. He hadn't made much of dent with his frantic actions. "You're right," he admitted after a moment and straightened. He went part way back down the path and cued his radio.
"Sanchez, come in," Sheppard said and tried to get his emotions under control.
"Sanchez here, sir. Your transmission is sketchy, Major."
Sheppard took a few more steps down the mountain. "Better?"
"Yes, sir."
"We need some help up here, Corporal. There's been a cave-in at an old mine and McKay and Ford are trapped. We need Atlantis to send some more people and equipment to get them out."
"Yes, sir," Sanchez said and Sheppard heard him relaying the order to Jeffries to dial the stargate. "Sir?"
"What, Corporal?" Sheppard glanced back up at the mine and watched as Teyla ran her hands over the tumbled stone.
"Are they still alive, sir?" the Corporal asked hesitantly.
Sheppard winced and closed his eyes as the Marine asked the one question he didn't want to think about. "Radios don't work near or in the mine, Corporal. No way to know for sure, but I'm going with yes, but they're both probably injured."
There was silence over the radio for a moment. "Understood, sir," Sanchez finally replied. "I'll have Atlantis send a medical team as well."
"We'll do what we can in the meantime. Sheppard out."
He slowly climbed back up to the mine to find Teyla examining one area of the rock fall and carefully touching sections of the stone. "Major, this area appears less compacted than the others. I believe with the right equipment, we would be able to dig through it to the other side."
"Yeah? That's great." Sheppard said and the steel band around his chest loosened a bit. "Corporal Sanchez is talking to Atlantis now about getting some additional manpower out here." He pulled at a few of the larger rocks where Teyla indicated and skipped backward as a small avalanche of stone followed his actions.
"Do you believe they are alive, Major?" Teyla asked quietly as they worked.
Sheppard hesitated for a moment then nodded. "Yeah, I do. I couldn't give you any sort of logical reason for it, but I know they're alive in there. We need to get them out, sooner rather than later."
"I agree, Major." She pulled out another large stone and watched a cascade of smaller rocks fall away as well.
"No, you don't understand. McKay is claustrophobic, he can't handle being in closed in spaces for very long. In addition to any injuries they may have, he's going to start panicking soon."
Teyla gave him another inscrutable look and Sheppard found her sudden interest a bit unnerving. "What?" he finally asked her, tired of the enigmatic glances.
"Chaguo ndugu," she said cryptically with a nod as if she'd puzzled out the answer to a difficult question.
"Gesundheit," Sheppard replied, thoroughly confused and pulled at another chunk of rock.
Teyla smiled. "It means 'brother by choice' in the old language," she explained. "Neither you nor Doctor McKay has any close family. You have both chosen to create a new one."
Sheppard felt himself redden in embarrassment and focused on the rock fall.
"You are worried about him, Major," she said simply
"I'm worried about both of them, Teyla," he clarified.
"That is true, but I have watched you and Doctor McKay over the last few weeks. He is your chaguo ndugu. You are both fortunate to have such a bond. It is highly respected by my people."
"Not sure," Sheppard grunted as he pulled at more rock, "McKay would agree with your chaga juju idea."
"Chaguo ndugu," she corrected as she gave him another puzzled look.
"What?" he asked defensively as she stared at him.
"Have you not noticed he is different around you?" she asked frankly as she dug around a large rock. "He listens to you."
Sheppard snorted a laugh but Teyla persisted. "He trusts you, Major." She hesitated a moment, then said, "I have noticed you are the only person he will allow to freely touch him."
"Doctor Beckett -"
"Is a healer," she replied. "I have seen such behavior in refugees we have taken in from other worlds after a culling. Children who have been traumatised shrink away from being touched but crave it at the same time. I fear Doctor McKay is somehow like those children. I suspect he has not been shown much kindness in his life."
Sheppard looked over at her as he pulled down more rock and saw the sadness in her eyes.
"He is your chaguo ndugu, Major Sheppard," she declared with finalty. "And you are his."
Twenty minutes later they had made a small indentation in the rock fall where Teyla thought they had the best chance to get through and into the mine. Sheppard heard a buzzing noise and looked up to see a jumper coming toward them from the direction of the 'gate. A minute later it hovered close enough for Sheppard to see Sergeant Markham piloting with Sergeant Bates in the co-pilot seat.
Markham tapped his ear, and Sheppard waved back and headed down the mountain.
"Major Sheppard, can you hear me?" Sergeant Bates called over the radio.
"I hear you, Sergeant," Sheppard acknowledged.
"Markham thinks he found a clearing two clicks east of your position, Major," Bates told him as the jumper moved away.
"Roger that, Sergeant. We think we have a section of the rock fall we can dig through as soon as you get here."
"Have you heard anything from either of them, Major Sheppard?" Beckett broke in over the radio. "Do you know what their injuries might be?"
"Sorry, Doc," Sheppard replied and tried to keep the worry out of his voice.
"I've got six Marines with me, Major," Bates said. "We've also got shovels and portable bracing equipment. We'll get them out, sir."
Sheppard signed off and walked back to where Teyla sat on a rock. She held out a power bar and her canteen. "You need to eat something, Major."
He took the power bar but handed back the canteen and held up his own. "Bates will be here in half an hour or so. Not sure what Beckett and his team are bringing or how much it may slow them down."
Forty minutes later Sheppard heard scrabbling on the dirt track below them as Bates and his group of Marines came into sight. Beckett wasn't far behind along with a medical technician carrying several cases of supplies.
Sheppard showed Bates where they had been digging as Teyla moved out of the way while the Marines unpacked short shovels and several telescoping poles each with a metal shield that extended between the two set of poles.
"How long have they been in there, Major," Beckett asked as he and the med tech joined the group.
Sheppard glanced at his watch and mentally figured when Ford had radioed them. "An hour, Doc, maybe a little more."
Beckett tsked softly and pointed the technician to a small area away from where the Marines attacked the rock fall. Two men worked digging out rock, while two others carefully set the poles in place to hold the rest of the rock back. The remaining two Marines waited their turn with the shovels. Bates and Markham helped Beckett clear the area he'd indicated of rocks and other debris.
"They'll be needing oxygen, for sure," Beckett motioned to the case with the portable oxygen supply. "No telling how bad the air might be in there." Sheppard watched as Beckett dug through another case pulling out splints, gauze, disinfectant and stuffed the supplies into a small bag he threw over his shoulder.
Sheppard and Teyla suddenly found themselves with nothing to do but worry and watch. The Marines were the model of efficiency, each group of two digging for ten minutes, then resting, then working the poles, before digging again. The poles didn't extend high enough for the men to stand, so they worked crouched down or on their knees. It wasn't long before they had worked three or four feet into the rock fall, but Sheppard was dismayed to realise McKay and Ford were buried deeper than they'd originally thought. If there was any good news, the teams hadn't found any bodies. Yet.
It was an hour before Sheppard heard a startled cry and a muffled, "We're through, sir," from one of the Marines. Not waiting for Teyla, Beckett, or Bates, Sheppard dove for the opening and quickly crawled through to where his men were trapped. Bates and Markham followed behind with portable lights. Beckett and Teyla brought up the rear.
McKay was curled against the rock fall, his face was bruised and he had his right hand stuffed in his vest. Ford was a few feet away and Sheppard could tell from where he stood the Lieutenant was having trouble breathing. Both men were unconscious.
As Teyla and Beckett went to Ford, Sheppard knelt beside McKay and carefully sat beside him. He pulled the scientist up so he was leant against his chest but stopped when McKay groaned in pain. Instead, he tucked the scientist against his flank and settled McKay's head on his arm as a cushion.
"McKay," Sheppard called softly, "Come on, buddy, time to wake up." McKay didn't react. He brushed gently at the purple bruise on McKay's cheek and frowned at the heat coming from the injury.
Beckett quickly but carefully checked Ford's neck and back for any obvious injuries. "Where's that backboard?" Beckett demanded as one materialised beside him. "Right, now," he said to the medical tech and Teyla, "We need to get him lying flat, as carefully as you can, if you please."
Sheppard watched them work as he gently ran a hand up and down McKay's arm still trying to get McKay to wake up. Teyla looked over at him, her face the picture of worry as the technician inserted an IV in the Lieutenant's arm and Beckett hooked Ford up to one of the oxygen masks, careful of the bruises and scrapes on his face. With the IV started, the technician carefully checked the rest of Ford's body for injuries, noting them in a near whisper to Beckett. Teyla spoke softly near Ford's head and she smiled a moment later when the Lieutenant cracked open an eye and lazily looked up at her.
"There you be, Lieutenant," Beckett said when he noticed Ford's eyes were open. He nodded at the med tech and continued. "David here has something to help with the pain and then we'll have you back in Atlantis and feeling better soon."
Sheppard watched as the pain lines softened a bit and Ford closed his eyes again after the morphine was injected.
Beckett motioned one of the Marines to hold the IV bag then directed David the med tech to clean up the visible scrapes and ready the Lieutenant for transport back to the jumper.
"Rodney, can you hear me?" Beckett asked quietly as he knelt beside Sheppard and took out the other oxygen mask. "See if you can get this on him, Major, while I start an IV."
Sheppard took the mask and carefully placed it over McKay's nose and mouth, avoiding the bruise while Beckett inserted the IV needle and handed off the bag to Bates who Sheppard hadn't even noticed was there.
"How's Ford?" Sheppard asked and shifted McKay carefully against his side.
"Not well, Major," Beckett said as he ran practised hands over each McKay's legs. "He has several bruised ribs, they may actually be broken, but I will need to see an X-ray to be sure. He has deep bruising along his back and legs, again, I'll need to get him to the infirmary to make sure no other bones are broken." He looked up from McKay. "He's been in a lot of pain, Major, but I think he'll be fine, given some time."
Sheppard nodded glanced back at Ford and Teyla. She sat beside Ford lightly holding one of the Lieutenant's hands as two Marines came over with a portable stretcher. They carefully lifted the backboard on the stretcher and quickly secured it in place. Teyla stood as the Marine holding the IV set it on Ford's chest and she followed as they headed for the opening in the rock fall. It was a tight fit, with the Marines hunched over the stretcher and Teyla following behind still speaking softly to Ford. They made it through and Sheppard heard the distant scrabble of footsteps on the dirt path as the group moved back to where the jumper was parked. Markham and the medical technician followed them.
Sheppard's attention resettled on McKay as Beckett finished with Rodney's legs and shook his head. Sheppard adjusted his hold on McKay as Beckett quickly checked the scientist's torso and left side.
"We need to move his arm," Beckett said and pointed to McKay's right hand still wedged in his vest. Sheppard grimaced but nodded. As soon as he tried to move McKay's hand out of the vest, however, the scientist whimpered and curled his body around the arm. Sheppard stopped what he was doing and glanced over at Beckett.
Beckett just looked back at him and dug another morphine syringe out of his bag.
"McKay? Rodney?" Sheppard said softly and was rewarded when McKay's eyes slowly opened. Sheppard didn't think McKay was aware enough to see any of them, but he changed his mind when Rodney slowly focused on his face and smiled slightly. He softly patted at Sheppard's chest with his left hand. "Yeah, I'm really here, McKay," he said with a smile. "Beckett's here, too and he really needs to see that arm."
"I know it hurts, lad," Beckett said softly to McKay as the scientist's eyes drifted toward him. He readied a morphine injection and waited for the drug to take effect. Once McKay's eyes closed again, Beckett carefully unzipped the tac-vest the rest of the way and gently set McKay's arm in a splint.
Beckett grimaced at the state of McKay's bloody hand, and murmured, "Oh, Rodney," softly as he gently probed McKay's right shoulder with his fingers.
"Doc?" Sheppard asked worry clear in his voice.
"I'm not sure, Major," Beckett said as he finished and nodded at the waiting Marines to bring the other backboard and stretcher. Beckett looked up at Sheppard. "The area around the joint is so swollen I won't know if his shoulder is only dislocated or if the bone is actually broken until I get him back to Atlantis."
Sheppard scooted out of the way as the two Marines secured the scientist to a backboard and stretcher then followed Beckett and the two Marines carrying McKay back to where the jumper waited. Bates stayed and supervised the removal of the lights and other equipment.
Once there he saw Ford already strapped to one of the benches in the back his eyes closed and looking if possible even worse in the afternoon light. The two Marines carrying McKay gently set the stretcher on the other bench and secured it in place. Markham and Bates took the pilot and co-pilot seats, while Beckett and the medical technician took the remaining two seats up front.
"I know you want to come now, Major," Beckett said sympathetically. "But it will take some time for me to sort these two out. Time where you'd just be sitting, waiting, and worrying."
"We need to gather their things from the campsite," Teyla reminded him softly. "It will take us a few hours to clear the camp area and get back to the stargate." She looked over at Beckett, "I am sure the doctor will have news for us by then."
"Aye," Beckett reassured. "Major, you and Teyla get back to Atlantis, clean up, and get something to eat. Then come to the infirmary. By then I should have some news for you."
Sheppard ran a tired hand through his hair and glanced at his two teammates. He wasn't sure if they were asleep or unconscious, but the rational part of his mind knew Teyla was right. Beckett needed time and at least he'd be doing something productive.
As he moved out of the back of the jumper, Bates arrived with the last two Marines carrying the shovels, poles, and lights as well as a few of Beckett's medical cases. They dumped the items on the floor at the rear of the jumper and stepped back as Markham closed the hatch and readied the jumper for take-off. Sheppard watched the shuttle head in the direction of the 'gate, then motioned for Teyla, Bates and the group of Marines to follow him back to the lake to get their packs.
If Sheppard double-timed it back to the 'gate no one said anything. They'd stopped at the campsite near the lake just long enough for Sheppard to grab McKay's pack and one of the Marines took Ford's. Sheppard was shocked just how heavy the scientist's pack was and when he opened it and found a stash of power bars, some clothes and three different computers, he shook his head and made a note to himself to talk to someone about consolidating the equipment somehow.
Sanchez and Jeffries were waiting at the stargate and the Corporal stepped in front of Sheppard and Teyla as Bates went to the DHD and started to dial Atlantis. "I have a message for you, sir, from Doctor Beckett." Sheppard nodded and Sanchez gulped but continued, "'Don't even think of visiting for at least another hour, Major'." Sanchez parroted and looked like he was waiting for an explosion, but Teyla beat Sheppard to the punch.
"It seems Doctor Beckett knows you quite well, Major," she said with a tiny smile. "Did he say anything else, Corporal?"
Sanchez shook his head. "Just that they were stable, ma'am, then the message about visiting."
The 'gate whooshed open and after receiving confirmation from Atlantis the shield was down, Sheppard gave the planet one last look before he followed the others back home.
An hour later as promised, Sheppard, War and Peace in hand, and Teyla entered the infirmary to find Beckett waiting for them. "Just as I expected," he said and glanced at his watch. "Come with me, then, I'll let you have a wee moment with them."
"How are they, Doctor Beckett?" Teyla asked as she and Sheppard followed Beckett to a corner of the infirmary.
The first thing Sheppard noticed was that both men were out. Ford was in the bed in front of them the head of the bed raised so he could breathe easier. The oxygen mask had been replaced with a nasal cannula and he had bandages on his arms and one across his cheek covering the scrape. McKay's bed was closer to the wall and was also slightly raised. His right arm was immobilised in a sling and Sheppard could see the edge of a bandage wrapped around his hand as well. The second thing Sheppard noticed were the two chairs waiting for them, one beside Ford's bed and the other between the two beds. For all of Carson's bluster, Sheppard was grateful the doctor understood he and Teyla would stay until Ford and McKay were awake.
They stopped at Ford's bed and Teyla sat in the chair beside the bed and lightly touched Ford's hand. "Lieutenant Ford has three bruised ribs," Beckett said as Sheppard moved to the chair between the beds. "There were no breaks, but I am concerned about the possibility of pneumonia."
"Was the air that bad in the mine, Doc," Sheppard asked and looked up from his own visual examination of his second-in-command.
"Well, it was none too good by the time we got there, Major. But no, pneumonia is always a worry with bruised or broken ribs. It hurts to breathe deeply, so you don't. But if you don't, your lungs can't clear all of the exhausted air and bacteria can build up. As long as Lieutenant Ford does the breathing treatments I've lined up for him, the risk is small."
"You thought he might have other broken bones," Teyla reminded him.
"Thankfully, I was wrong," Beckett said. "Nothing was broken, but there are several deep bruises on his back and legs. Moving will still hurt, but the tissue bruises should heal in a week or two. The ribs will take another two to three after that. As long as he's careful he shouldn't have any problems."
"And McKay," Sheppard asked as he turned to the scientist. "Just how bad is his shoulder?"
"Worse than I'd like but better than I'd hoped," Beckett said unhelpfully. At Sheppard's frown, he explained, "Rodney managed to partially dislocate his shoulder. We were able to reduce the dislocation, but he's not going to have use of that arm for at least a month. I imagine at the time he would have been unable to really move the arm or his fingers." Beckett shook his head and looked down at his friend sadly. "While that's not good, I was afraid his scapula was cracked as well."
Sheppard looked over at the man in question. McKay was pale except for the livid bruise under his right eye, and he wasn't sure McKay would be able to see out of it once he was awake. His right arm was strapped to his chest by the sling and a nasal cannula was carefully taped around the bruise on his cheek.
"I don't think that's the case, however," Beckett assured Sheppard and Teyla. "The X-rays didn't show any breaks and we were able to reduce the dislocation without any complications. The cut across his hand found a bit of a nasty infection as well. His face is deeply bruised, but he's lucky the bone doesn't appear to be cracked; he'll just look like he was in a heck of a fight for a few weeks."
Sheppard settled in the chair between the beds and set his book on McKay's bedside table.
"I suppose it'd be pointless for me to suggest that since neither of these two will be waking soon you should go sleep in your own beds," Beckett said as he looked from Sheppard to Teyla. They both just gazed back from their chairs. "That's what I thought," Beckett sighed. "Let the nurse know if you need anything or if either of them starts to get into trouble, then," Beckett said and wandered back to his office.
"I will take the first watch, Major," Teyla offered as the infirmary settled into the evening quiet. "That way if one of them should wake during the night, one of us will be there to help."
"Good thinking," Sheppard agreed. He kicked off his boots and settled in the chair, his feet up on the edge of McKay's bed. The last thing he remembered was Teyla sitting cross-legged in her chair apparently meditating.
Several hours later, Sheppard sat reading by a small lamp on the bedside table while Teyla slept in one of the empty infirmary beds. A sound woke him from the half-doze the book had him in and he looked around. Teyla was soundly asleep as was McKay, although the scientist's face was scrunched up and his left arm twitched. Sheppard rubbed lightly on McKay's arm to get him out of the dream and the sleeping man soon settled again. He checked Ford and found the younger man wheezing as he breathed; that was the sound that had alerted Sheppard.
"Lieutenant?" Sheppard said and leant toward the bed as the Lieutenant shifted more on the bed. Ford's head turned at the sound of his voice and he cracked open his eyes.
"Major?" he started to ask, but his voice cracked and he started to cough.
Sheppard was on his feet and at the side of the bed. "Easy Lieutenant, don't make things worse." He poured a little water into a cup and held Ford upright until he got his breath back and could drink it, then carefully eased the man back in the bed. "Better?"
Ford nodded. "Yes, sir," he whispered. "Atlantis?" he asked as he slowly looked around.
Sheppard nodded and scooted the chair closer to Ford's bed. He kept his voice down so as not to wake Teyla or McKay. "Yep, we had you and McKay dug out a couple of hours after the rock fall. Six Marines and a lot of incentive can literally move a mountain." Sheppard was glad to see Ford smile weakly at the joke.
He watched as Ford looked at the sleeping Athosian next to him and then at the next bed. "Sir? How's …?"
"He'll be fine, Lieutenant. So will you. You did a number on your ribs and lots of bruises, but you'll both be fine."
"Told him … you would come, sir." Ford took a breath. "Not sure … he believed me." He took another breath. "Told him … he needed to trust us."
"Go back to sleep," Sheppard said as Ford started to drift. "I'll be sure to give you first dibs on the 'I told you so' when he's awake."
Ford smiled slightly. "He thinks … you'll be … mad at him," he whispered as his eyes drifted shut.
Sheppard looked at Ford then glanced at the other bed. "Why would he think …" Sheppard started to ask but Ford was already asleep.
Sheppard went back to the Russian dinner party and considered once again that he should have brought Patrick O'Brian if he really wanted to read a long book about the Napoleonic Wars.
