Author's Note: I know I mentioned this in my most recent chapter of Physician's Progress Notes. But I wanted to apologize for not posting on Friday. I meant to, but I wound up switching computers around. I spent the day transferring files from my "old" computer to my "new," better computer. Then reformatting the old one and reinstalling the entire operating system. By the time I did all that, I had nothing left with which to get this chapter ready to post. So, apologies for that. And on with the story! Enjoy! ~lg
oOo
"No!" Carson's voice didn't echo through the infirmary when Sarah arrived the next day, but it was still audible to someone who had become accustomed to listening for it. "Jennifer, I'm tellin' ya! It's not necessary!"
Jennifer's soft voice followed the words, too low to truly be understood. Sarah glanced around. Most of the infirmary's day shift wore amused expressions, and Amanda Cole rolled her eyes. Sarah moved to Marie's side, the veteran nurse also trying her hardest to not laugh. "What's happening?"
Marie snorted. "Carson's happening." She smiled when Sarah blinked. "Since we've been in Pegasus, he's only been injured a few times, usually due to assisting others off world. This is the first time he's been bedridden by his injuries, and he's not liking it."
"I realized that," Sarah said somewhat sarcastically. She shared a grin with the other nurse. "I take it he's arguing about his treatment."
"Yes." Marie shook her head. "I suppose it was inevitable. He's a bulldog when it comes to this infirmary. Got himself into this mess by refusing to leave a patient to die."
Sarah had heard the story, but she suddenly wanted Marie's perspective. "You stayed with him, didn't you?"
"Yes, I did." Marie said. Her face sobered, all humor from the ongoing argument in the background draining away. "I thought we'd lost him."
Sarah recognized the raw pain. "I'm sorry I brought it up."
"Don't be." Marie gave her a wan smile. "I need to talk about it sometime."
"Yeah, but it doesn't have to be with me."
"I think it does." The sparkle returned to Marie's eyes. "Especially since you're the reason for the argument."
"I meant that—What?" Sarah glanced toward the rear of the infirmary as the other nurse's words caught up to her.
"Carson's taken a shine to you," Marie said. "And he's not happy about being trapped in that bed, either. The combination of the two is leaving him a bit cranky."
Sarah wasn't sure what to say that wouldn't give her away. She liked Carson a lot more than she'd indicated, their evening tea time being the highlight of her day. They sometimes chatted, sometimes didn't. At other times, she sat with him while he tried to ignore the pain brought on by the healing device. Sarah hated those times but could do nothing for him besides provide a comforting presence and helping hand. During those times, when he lay quiet with his eyes closed and his breathing even, she studied him. The lines around his eyes deepened, but it made him even more attractive to her. And, even though they were often glazed with pain, his blue eyes tended to be a bit darker and drew her almost as much as his smile did. That smile rarely made an appearance during those times, but, when it did, it usually held a special softness that wasn't there otherwise.
Realizing that she was staring at the rear of the infirmary, she turned back to Marie. "I'm sorry. You were saying?"
Marie gave her a knowing smile. "Our Chief of Medicine is just being stubborn."
"That I knew," Sarah said with a smirk. "He's a Scot."
Marie pointed at her as if to say, "You make a good point." Out loud, she replied, "That day was. . . ." She shook her head. "When that tumor went off, it was chaos. Carson had just finished surgery to remove it, and I stayed behind. The explosion shook the tower, and I thought we'd lost him. When we found him, he was badly burned and had shrapnel embedded in his back. He coded twice during surgery to remove it."
Sarah's eyes turned back toward the curtained cubicle where Carson and Jennifer were now speaking in more civil tones. From the injuries she'd seen, he would require months of treatment in spite of the healing device. "The coma?"
"From hitting is head." Marie chewed on her lip for a moment. "We didn't know if he'd ever wake up. Seeing him like that was. . . ."
Sarah touched the other woman's arm. "I can imagine." She smiled. "Thank you for telling me."
Marie nodded and turned back to her work. Sarah let her go, seeing the way the older woman used her thumb to wipe away a few tears. She'd seen her share of critically injured patients during her time as a nurse, but none of them had been a close friend. She could not imagine what it must feel like knowing that she had been right next to the bomb and had escaped.
Jennifer appeared before she'd fully worked through all of the emotions. "Sarah?"
"Yes, Doctor?" Sarah began moving before she'd even finished speaking. She knew it was time for Carson's daily treatment, and she didn't look forward to the argument. Still, she had a duty to fulfill, and she hoped Carson would forgive her when it was all over.
Rather than saying another word, Jennifer gathered the healing device and led Sarah back to Carson's cubicle. When she pulled back the curtain, he glared at her. "Jennifer, what did I tell ye?"
"Carson, I understand your concerns, but. . . ."
"No you do not!" His face heated as Sarah turned her back to adjust a few things, giving the two of them a modicum of privacy. Carson lowered his voice to a whisper, but Sarah still heard every word. "She disnae need ta see ma bare bum!"
It took every ounce of her control—and then some—to keep from laughing aloud. He sounded so put out, so embarrassed over the situation even if it was a medical issue. Besides, the idea of seeing Carson's "bare bum," as he termed it, was a bit more intimate than she cared to admit. Between her personal feelings for the man and his amusing protest, Sarah's face was red when she turned. Carson's own embarrassed face was set in a childlike pout. She tried not to smile at the absurdity of it all—it really wasn't that funny—but failed miserably. "Dr. Beckett, why don't I go get someone else to help Dr. Keller today."
Carson turned to her. "I'll be fine."
His assertion fit right in with the temper tantrum he'd been throwing a few moments before. Sarah nodded. "That's right, you will be. But Dr. Keller needs assistance, and you're in no condition to help her. So, I'll go find someone else you're more comfortable with to help her today. Then, when she's done, I'll bring tea and an ice pack." When he opened his mouth to protest again, she held up a finger. "I wasn't suggesting anything there, Carson."
Her use of his given name, combined with the glare on Jennifer's face, clearly got the message across. He folded his arms, not giving in gracefully. "Fine."
Fine, Sarah thought back at him. She felt a little like she'd been in a glaring match back in her elementary school days, but she'd come through it victorious. She'd have to apologize to Dr. Keller for taking over so suddenly, but Carson appeared to have calmed slightly. Slipping from the cubicle, she found one of the male nurses and spoke with him, explaining the situation. He agreed readily, and Sarah took a moment to roll her eyes. She caught Marie's eye, and the two women exchanged amused grins.
Marie made her way over to her. "When your lunch break hits, you've got to tell me what that was about."
Sarah actually laughed. "I'll tell you now. It was about his 'bare bum.'" She sobered quickly. "Which I can honestly understand. Being a nurse—or a doctor—means we see more of our patients than we want to. But, with that Scottish accent and the expression on his face, it was. . . ."
"Hilarious? Cute? Hot?" Marie's adjectives got better as she threw them out.
"Um. . . ." Sarah eyed the nurse. "Not 'hot,' but very much the other two." Sharing another laugh over something that only nurses would understand, she went back to work.
oOo
Carson lay on his back, the pain subsiding thanks to the ice pack he'd insisted Jennifer bring him before Sarah appeared. He regretted the scene he'd caused, but he refused to back down. He cared for Sarah as a doctor, but he also realized how attractive she was. Today, she'd worn her hair in a stylish ponytail, the straight locks falling nearly to her waist. That, combined with her sparkling blue eyes when she'd turned around, impressed on him the necessity of keeping his distance. If he was already thinking of her in romantic terms while he was trapped in this bed, then he would definitely think of her that way when he got out of the bed. And he couldn't have that if he intended to resume his duties as Chief of Medicine.
The woman appeared a moment later, holding a tray with his evening meal and a teapot. She'd begun bringing the traditional teapot after their first few evenings, and it added such a charming, elegant air to their teas that he felt like he could ignore the hospital bed and the infirmary around them. Tonight, the teapot was blue and white, and she had two matching cups. Just how many of the things had the woman brought with her?
Pushing himself up in the bed, he winced when the ice pack pulled against the newly-healed portions of his skin. The injury today was deep, and Jennifer had called a stop to the treatment before the wound had completely healed. That it was at the top of his rear end made lying anyway save on his stomach painful. And he intended to ask someone—even Sarah—to help him turn over for the night. He wanted to sleep, not endure more pain.
Now, however, he smiled. "Come in, love." As much as he'd tried, he couldn't break the life-long habit of calling women outside of his family "love." It was as much a sign that he liked them as people as it was an endearment.
Sarah set the tea tray on the table next to his bed and handed his meal to him. As he ate, she began preparing tea, pouring it from the teapot with the grace he remembered from his mum. She glanced at him with a sparkle in her eyes. "Feeling better now?"
His face warmed slightly. "Aye." He ate a few bites. "I'm sorry, Sarah. I'm not used to bein' in this bloody bed, an'. . . ."
"Dr. Beckett, you have no need to explain yourself." She finished stirring the small bit of sugar into his tea and set it where he could reach it with ease. "I can't imagine it's very comfortable physically or mentally."
He narrowed his eyes, wondering if she truly understood. "Seein' someone else run my infirmary is. . . .I don't like it."
She actually chuckled. "I didn't think you did."
Realizing he was still being childish, he smiled at her. "Thank ye for earlier."
Sarah returned the smile. "You're welcome. And, for future reference, you have only to ask for a replacement. I'll understand."
Carson opened his mouth to respond when the entire city shook. His teacup rattled in the saucer, and Sarah's tea spilled a bit as she was in the process of taking a sip. Rather than fussing over the spot on her uniform, she set everything to the side. "Excuse me, Dr. Beckett." Without a word, she left his cubicle, leaving the curtain open where he could see what was happening.
Carson watched the flutter of activity around them and realized his evening with Sarah was over. His stomach churned, and he set aside his meal. The only time the city had shaken like that was when it was attacked. That meant injuries would soon come into the infirmary, and he wouldn't be there to treat them. For the first time since coming to Atlantis, he would have to watch a crisis rather than help in a crisis. And that turned his improving mood sour again.
oOo
For the next hour, Carson waited impatiently, overseeing things in the infirmary. There weren't many injuries from whatever had struck the city, but he'd heard whispered comments about Replicators and beams. Finally, he caught Sarah's attention and asked if she knew what was going on. She hesitated to answer, telling him the situation was worse than he could imagine. She did say that she'd send Jennifer over.
It took another fifteen minutes for Jennifer to break away long enough to inform him. In that time, she'd left the infirmary a couple of times, but none of those times were for emergencies. It appeared that she was getting the run-around from McKay about what was really happening. When she eventually reappeared and headed for him with a determined expression on her face, Carson knew he'd get his answers. "Jennifer?"
She sighed. "There's a Replicator satellite aiming a beam at the city."
Carson blinked. "Replicators? They're angry over us bombing them?"
"Yeah." Jennifer sighed and folded her arms. "Dr. McKay and Dr. Zelenka are getting ready to submerge the city, hoping the ocean's water will help the shield last longer."
"And if that doesn't work?" Carson shook his head. "Elizabeth was concerned about this when the mission was assigned to Colonel Ellis. And she was right, if I can say so."
Rather than replying, Jennifer touched his shoulder. Carson appreciated her dilemma more than most. She was simply a doctor who got to patch up the injuries. Until it became a medical situation, she had no say. And this was clearly a military situation.
At that moment, the city's intercom activated. "Attention all personnel." Elizabeth's voice echoed down the halls. "We are about to attempt to submerge the city. From what I understand, it could get a little bumpy, so this is your last chance to secure equipment and get to the designated safe areas."
Carson smiled at Jennifer. "Go take care of everyone, love. I'll be fine."
"Thank you, Carson." She straightened a few things near his bed and then left to make sure the rest of the infirmary was ready. It only took a few moments thanks to the chaos of the last hour, but it was something. Carson laid his head back and waited.
A few moments later, the great city rumbled, and he felt the dip in his stomach as Atlantis sank to the bottom of the ocean. Lying there, staring at the ceiling, he couldn't help but feel that they had come full circle and were now ready to follow in the steps of the Ancients. If only it worked out better for them than it did for the Ancients.
oOo
It didn't work out better. In fact, based on the brief reports Carson received, it got worse. The ocean's water didn't attenuate the beam as much as McKay had hoped. Finally, the plan was hatched to fly Atlantis away from this planet and somewhere safe. Carson knew he'd be sent to the Apollo, the ship responsible for all this mess, and hoped he wouldn't have to meet the commander. While Elizabeth might have contacted General O'Neill and Mr. Woolsey, she was still commander of Atlantis. And the fact they'd walked right over her—and that Ellis had virtually disrespected her—still rankled Carson. He couldn't help but feel like saying, "She told you so."
Then, Jennifer came over to tell him that he couldn't transfer to the Apollo. When the Replicator satellite first appeared, it had grazed the ship. There were multiple injuries aboard Apollo, and the ship's infirmary couldn't take any more people. He'd have to ride it out in Atlantis. Carson accepted it with a nod and assured her that he'd be fine. Still, she insisted on moving him closer to the center of the infirmary so that he could be watched a bit better. As she secured his hospital bed and began prepping the infirmary for the city's first flight in ten thousand years, Carson shook his head. If only they'd listened to Elizabeth. . . .
Finally, Elizabeth's voice came over the intercom again. "May I have your attention? As you all know, we have found ourselves in a spot of trouble. The reality is that no matter where we try to hide on this planet, the Replicator satellite will be able to track us. Therefore, Dr. McKay and Colonel Sheppard have come up with a rather ingenious way for us to escape the satellite's range altogether. In the next few hours, we will fire the city's stardrive and head into space. Atlantis is leaving this planet."
Carson listened with mixed feelings. He was angry that Elizabeth had been ignored, relieved there was an option, and worried about power. Even he knew the city didn't have that kind of power. And he'd been in a coma too long to know all the advances Rodney had made while sitting at his bedside. But he trusted Rodney and Sheppard to know the city's abilities at this point in time.
Lift-off apparently went without a hitch. Carson felt the elevation change, and he yawned as his ears popped. The city shook some, but not badly, a testament to John Sheppard's ability to fly anything. The ice pack under his body had melted some time ago, but he ignored it, knowing that there were more important things to be done than bring him a new one. Besides, with all the chaos, he hadn't thought about his own injuries in hours.
Suddenly, the city-wide intercom activated again. "I need a medical team to the gate room, stat!" Rodney sounded panicked. "Multiple injuries!"
Carson watched as Jennifer started pointing to nurses and giving orders. Within a minute, Marie had gathered equipment, and a team headed out to the gate room, leaving Amanda Cole and Sarah in charge of the infirmary. Those two women rushed around, prepping the OR and the scanner as well as various other tasks. No one knew the level of injuries they might face, especially given that they didn't know the situation. But Rodney sounded panicked enough that it had to be pretty severe.
That made his decision. Carson whipped the blankets off of his feet and ground his teeth together as he swung his legs off the edge of the bed. He paused, trying to breathe and will away the sweat that popped up on his forehead when he moved. Sarah caught sight of him and rushed over. "Dr. Beckett, what are you doing?"
"There are injured." He met her eyes, making sure he wore his resolute doctor's face, not the pout he'd had earlier. "I can't just lie here knowin' I could help someone."
"Yes, you can." She reached for his feet.
Carson gently grabbed her arm to stop her. "No, I can't." He met her eyes. "Now, I know I can't be performin' surgeries or anythin' like that. But my hands arenae injured. I can help with the minor injuries. Just get me a wheelchair, and I'll work 'round it."
Sarah stared at him and then glanced over her shoulder to where Amanda had been heading his way. Carson met the other doctor's eyes, realizing that she still carried a lot of guilt over his injuries. He wished there was some way to reassure her that he didn't hold her responsible, but he also understood her dilemma. He was a patient, not a doctor. Still, not knowing the situation in the gate room, it could be an "all hands on deck" situation. Finally, after a long moment, Amanda nodded.
Sarah sighed rather dramatically. "Wait here. I'll get a wheelchair."
"Thank you, love." Carson watched her go with a sigh. He didn't want her upset right now, but he could not lie in that bed. Not now.
Amanda moved to his side. "I hope you know what you're doing, Carson."
"Aye, so do I." He saw Sarah reappear with a wheelchair. The two women helped him into it, and he took a few moments to get accustomed to sitting fully upright. His injuries along his lower back all the way to his knees ached almost unbearably, but wounded started arriving before he could do much more than grunt at the pain. Amanda took over, directing doctors, nurses, and patients. Sarah stayed with Carson until Amanda told him where to go. He started wheeling toward one of the gate room techs who had a deep gash on his arm. Stitches would be required, but the man would recover quickly. Carson turned to tell Sarah what he'd need and found that she'd already retrieved the tray of supplies.
Before he could get much further than assessing the damage, however, a larger group, complete with Jennifer riding on the stretcher while working over a shrouded body, came through the door. Carson glanced up and would have returned to his work, confident that Jennifer had everything under control. But he caught sight of who lay on the stretcher.
"Oh, dear Lord!" he whispered. "Elizabeth!"
~TBC
