A/N-Hey everyone! I'm so so so sorry about how long this took. I kind of got in a stump for a few days. I mean, i knew what i was gonna do, but i just didn't do it. Plus, I'm going on a homeschool field trip at the end of next week with a few other homeschool families, so i've had extra work besides school to do, you know, like research and stuff.

So, i'm really sorry about how long this took, and that it's kind of short. I hope you like it though.

Disclaimer-I'm sorry, but i still don't own Stargate:Atlantis, Stargate-SG1, MGM, and all that other stuff. Although, i do own the bad guys in this book that kidnapped poor Dr. McKay...

He looked around helplessly. It just wasn't right. He finally found out, or at least was pretty sure, what was wrong, and then, he couldn't fix it because the darn thing wouldn't come off! He had been stabbed, his left leg was broken, his right wrist was most likely broken, and he, from what he could tell, had a concussion! It was pretty safe to say that the universe was out to get him

"What, can't take someone being as smart as me? Think I might be able to figure out all your little, stupid, life secrets? Afraid I might figure out how to live forever, or, better yet, create my own universe?" Rodney said out loud, trying to quell his nerves. He saw Col.'s Carter, Caldwell, and Sheppard, scientific, CIA, and medical Dr.'s Zelenka, Woolsey, Keller, and Beckett all look at him like he was crazy. He just lifted an eye brow and said,

"I have a concussion, I'm in a Jumper somewhere I'm not quite sure where, and the stupid, little invisibility devise won't come off!" He knew his voice was harsh and grating, but he really felt sick and dizzy, and just plain tired. He looked at the occupants of the briefing room and had to sigh. They all looked just as tired, if not more so, than he knew he looked. It was painful to see the worry, not at all hidden anymore, in their eyes.

He didn't know what to do. He kept going through different scenarios, and what would happen if he did this or that. But, they all ended in disaster. He really didn't feel like dying.

Back in the briefing room spirits were at an all time low. Times had been worse, but then there hadn't even been an idea until the last moment. Now, there had been an idea and a way to get Rodney home safe, but no, it didn't work. It wouldn't work until just the last moment before Rodney almost died of who-knew-what. It was just like that in the Pegasus Galaxy.

Ronan was drumming his fingers on the table repeatedly, his head bent forward, his brow and forehead furrowed in anger and impatience. He was getting annoyed with this. Why couldn't they just blow it up? Wouldn't that be easier?

Then Rodney could come home, Ronan could annoy him with one syllable words, and everything would be back to normal. This would just be something to laugh about, just like all of their injury inducing missions, or, in this case, kidnappings.

But that was not to be. Rodney was staring at the device, his eyes narrowed as though he thought he could get it off by giving it the death glare. It did work when he did it to the other scientists, after all.

Then, so suddenly that they all jumped slightly, Rodney toppled backward in a type of ball, looking so pale he might as well have been the moon.

"Rodney!" John stood up in front of Ronan, he himself just a second after the Colonel.

Rodney made no notion that he had heard them, staying rolled up in a ball. Carter was typing at her computer so quickly that to Ronan's tired eyes it looked like her fingers were going faster than light. He knew this wasn't possible, but he really wasn't thinking about that just then.

Carter looked over at Zelenka, her face impassive but her eyes filled with urgency. Radek looked at the computer before saying something in Czech that was most likely a curse. He practically jumped over to the Atlantian view screen and started to tap a few things on it before walking quickly back to Carter and talking to her.

Ronan listened to what they were saying, but found that it was way over his head. He considered himself to be kind of smart, or at least average for his people. There had been minor chemistry, biology, and other sciences on his planet, and he had graduated from their equivalent of college, so he thought he could understand at least a bit of what they said. But they were speaking so quickly that he was sure no one else could understand.

But, at that moment Ronan had never wanted to understand more. They were talking about Rodney, his teammate and friend, who was stuck and hurt, unable to receive help, and it was aggravating.

Suddenly, Carter jumped up so fast that she knocked her chair over, causing everyone to look at her, their eyes filled with confusion and worry. She didn't even notice. Sam walked over to the view screen with her computer, plugging it into a consol. She typed a few things, her fingers moving at a slower pace.

Dr. Woolsey lifted an eyebrow but said nothing. He was used to watching Dr. McKay go off to do strange things without telling anyone, just to come back with a great idea, or a way to save something. He was hoping the colonel was doing the same. But, after several minutes of her doing nothing but checking different scanners and things that Woolsey couldn't see, he started to get annoyed.

"Col. Carter, would you care to share with us what you're doing?" He asked politely, though the irritation in his voice was barely hidden. He was worried about the top scientist just as much as the others.

"I think…I might…maybe…I could be wrong…If I'm not…this is bad…Zelenka…right there…oh not good." Every one other than Zelenka blinked. What did that mean? Dr. Zelenka seemed to understand. Ronan opened his mouth to say something but hesitated. He had talked quite a bit in the last couple of hours. He couldn't help but quirk an eyebrow at that strange and completely random thought-he must be getting really tired. He opened his mouth to say something again, but he was diverted by Rodney moving.

"Rodney?" Apparently, Teyla had noticed as well, her eyes narrowed in concern and a bit of frustration. Rodney groaned loudly as he slowly moved into a sitting position, each bit of pain he received painted on his face like a picture.

Ronan had to wince slightly as he saw Rodney's eyes go wide and his hand move like lightning to the side that had been stabbed. He could tell it was bleeding through his shirt even more than it had been before. The wound must have opened again.

By now everyone's eyes were on the view screen, although Carter and Zelenka kept glancing back at their computers.

Rodney lifted a hand dizzily to his head, his eyes misted over in confusion and pain.

Jennifer and Carson were looking intently at the scientist as he continued to look around in confusion.

The occupants of the room were tense as they watched McKay slowly move over to the wall and rest his head and back on it. He closed his eyes and they could clearly see his breathing slow down.

Dr. Keller looked alarmed at this, her eyes going wide temporarily before she literally shouted,

"RODNEY! Wake up!" Rodney jerked awake as though someone had shaken him. He looked over at the view screen, his eyes still glassy, and then those aforementioned eyes narrowed slightly. This was clearly meant to be a "back off" signal, but its affect was reduced by his pale complexion, dark circled under his eyes, and the blood coming down from the two wounds in his head. No one 'backed off".

"Rodney, you have to stay awake. You have a concussion, and sleeping in your current condition, blood loss included, would be a very bad idea." Jennifer said slowly and clearly as though she was speaking to a toddler.

Rodney looked at her for a moment, his eyes void of any emotion. But then his eyes slowly seemed to go back to normal, or at least very close to normal. His usual wit and cleverness replaced the haziness and confusion, making him blink several times.

Jennifer sighed in relief. He had a concussion, that much they knew for sure, but the fact that he was able to shake off some of the side effects meant that it wasn't so bad that it was immediately fatal.

"Wha—happen'd?" Rodney asked wearily, still looking a little dozy.

"You just sort of f—fell unconscious." Sheppard replied, jumping a bit over the F, desperately wanting to say "fainted" but knowing that it wouldn't help anything. Although it might just make Ronan smile a bit…Nah, best not to do it.

Rodney sent him a scathing look. Apparently he hadn't bought the sudden word change. John just whistled a bit, trying to ease the tension. It worked a bit; he saw Rodney's shoulders relax slightly, and Carson lean back farther into his chair. He smiled slightly, content.

But Carter was far from relaxed. She looked up and around the room and then over to the view screen. Horror, worry, and pure despair were etched into her features.

Rodney was slowly moving to the seat behind the co-pilot's which was nearest to the device on the wall. He sat down heavily before looking up to the view screen, his expression quizzical when he saw Carter's face.

Sam sighed heavily, feeling her heart drop like stone to her stomach. She breathed in, preparing herself for what she was about to say. Saying it would make it real, official, and an actual problem. But not saying it would be an even greater problem.

"We've just been running a few simulations on your Jumper, McKay. If we're correct, that crash caused a lot more damage than we can see. I need you to go to the main control section." She spoke calmly, using the un-emotional voice she always used when explaining a crisis that she saw no immediate way of fixing.

Rodney looked up at them, his eyes so tired and life-less that the people in the room had to draw a breath. He looked like he could just fall apart right there and then. He just looked at them, particularly Carter, for a moment, his gaze screaming "Do I have to?"

But after Sam sent him a sad but firm look he stood up slowly and crossed the Jumper. The three foot long crossing seemed to be three miles long.

Finally after setting himself down in the grey chair he looked up expectantly at the colonel.

Carter sighed again before speaking.

"I need you to check the life support." She said shortly, her peripheral vision catching the looks she was receiving from various people in the room. Rodney looked startled at the request for a moment before his eyes suddenly widened and he started to tap the various consols around him. He looked up at the view screen, but they could tell he didn't really see them. He was probably looking at something from the Jumper.

Suddenly his face took on the same horror as Col. Carter's had. He then looked at the occupants of the room, his expression grave and desperate.

"Life support is failing. It's still working partially, but the systems will eventually shut down. I don't know when, but it won't be very long, and the air is just going to keep getting thinner and thinner." His voice was tinged with fear, his eyes filled with pain. He had already almost died in a Jumper, also alone then, and they could tell he really didn't feel like repeating the experience, especially if it went all the way through.

John gulped involuntarily. This couldn't be happening! Couldn't they just have one time of good luck? Was the universe really out to get them? It had been starting to look like it in the first year, but this was just ridiculous.

Rodney groaned as he sat back, his heart in his throat. How come they never had any luck? It was just one thing after another. Kidnapped, stabbed, getting a concussion, and then life-support decides to fail. What's with that?

His head was feeling worse by the moment, his side was numb but there were occasional bursts of pain, his wrist hurt like crazy, it was getting harder to breath, and his leg felt like lead, which it might actually be.

He had been so hopeful. I'll get to get out! He had thought. But no, the stupid device wouldn't come off, and life-support was failing! Of course, he should have seen this coming.

If they didn't find him soon, he would die from lack of oxygen, and his body might never be found. Then everyone would morn for me, and they would all be sorry they hadn't listened to me each time I had said I wasn't felling good, and they would all recognize what a hero I was, he thought. Wow, I'm morbid.

He looked up at the view screen and momentarily caught Jennifer's eye. She looked so afraid, so worried, that he actually had to stop himself from flinching. No, I'm not going to die. I always come up with something. I'll be fine. If not for me, than for them.

He looked over at the device. There was absolutely nothing he could think to do to it that wouldn't end in: A) a giant whole in the side of the Jumper, B) nothing, C) a wave of energy hitting essential systems on the Jumper causing them to brake, or D) a wave of energy hitting essential systems on the Jumper causing the Jumper to blow up.

Needless to say, he didn't really like any of these options. He breathed in deeply, trying to quell his growing anxiety. Unfortunately, his anxiety continued to grow.

Dr. Woolsey, Jennifer, Carson, John, Teyla, and Ronan watched from a corner of the lab as Carter, Zelenka, and several scientist ran around running simulations, looking at results, comparing results, and then either throwing those results out the window or putting them on hold to compare with other results.

They had been running around for the better part of a half hour. Even thought that half hour wasn't so long, they were really hurrying because they knew that Rodney now had a definite timeline.

John tapped his foot impatiently. Normally he would be going over to talk to McKay to see what the self-proclaimed smartest man in two galaxies thought of things and what he planned to do about it. But, Rodney was far too weak and out of it to be able to do much. John hadn't lost all hope, thought. He was still hoping that Rodney would come up with one minute brilliance and have a plan. By just looking at the others in the little corner of the lab, the colonel knew that they were hoping the same thing.

John really couldn't see any way out of this.

That annoyed him.

"John, what are they doing?" He turned quickly to find Teyla looking at him quizzically.

"Looking for a way to get McKay out." He replied.

"They will get him out, John." John shifted uncomfortably. Teyla had always been able to read through him.

"I know they will. I never said they wouldn't. It's when that I'm worried about."

"Rodney will stay alive, if not for himself than for us. It is what he does." Teyla's voice was calm and sure, but Sheppard hadn't spent the last five years with her and learned nothing. She was worried as well.

"I bet he would do it just to annoy us." John joked lightly, and was rewarded by a smile from Teyla, Jennifer, and even a small one from Ronan—the later two had been listening in.

"Rodney would do that." Ronan said gruffly, nodding.

"Plus, I don't think he would like that some weird native who barely fixed that device with duck tape got the best of him. He would do everything possible to stop that from happening." John replied, knowing Rodney was probably angry that someone had been so stupid as to try to fix it like that.

"He'll probably yell at them for finding it first, too." Jennifer cut in, a slight smile tugging at her lips.

John was about to reply when Sam came jogging over to them, her eyes lit up, not in a good way, but not in a bad way either-more neutral actually. John felt himself tense up in anticipation. This could be it. It could go either way. They could have figured out a way to save McKay, or something that means they never will…

Sam stopped in front of them. Her face was emotionless, but her eyes showed hope. John would have felt relieved at this had the worry and dread not also been in Sam's face.

"We may have a way to find Rodney. But, it might not work." The scientist colonel said slowly and carefully, obviously trying to not raise their hopes.

It didn't do anything of the sort. John felt Ronan, Teyla, and Jennifer all go tense behind him, tension radiating off of their bodies.

"What are you planning on doing?" Dr. Woolsey asked as stepped forward slightly. Carter just shook her head and, motioning for them to follow her, began to walk out of the lab.

John looked at the group around him and just shrugged before following the colonel.

Carter muttered under her breath as she waited for Rodney to respond to the call they had sent to him. She had known it would come down to this. She had known as soon as she had seen the problem with the life-support systems. There was no other way to do it. But, she had gone down to the science labs and had worked with the other scientists, trying to find a solution that didn't have as many risks, or had at least been done on some magnitude before.

But to no avail. Over half an hour, and they had only one idea. Given more time, they might, seriously stressing the might,be able to come up with something, but they didn't have that kind of time.

She had seen Rodney's face. He had come to the same conclusion as she had. She had seen it in his eyes. He would rather be able to die quickly rather than slowly. But, still, she desperately wished there was another way to do it. A way that didn't have as many variables and problems. But then, luck has rarely just been on their side, so why would it be now?

She shook away that thought. Luck had been on their side. They wouldn't be alive if it hadn't been. It just needed to be on their side from the begin—wait, beginning had passed a long time ago, so maybe the middle would work.

Finally, Rodney's pail, tired, bloody face came up on screen. He looked even worse than he had before—Carter almost gasped at the sight. Looking over at the other people in the room, she could tell that they all felt the same. They needed to get him out of there.

Rodney briefly put his head in his hand, his eyes spinning with dizziness, before looking up again, a questioning look on his ragged features.

"So, what's up?" He asked, his voice thready and quiet. Sam cleared her throat before answering,

"We think we may have a way to get you out." She said, trying to keep her voice from trembling at what she was about to suggest. But she stopped when Rodney smiled at her, hope alive in his eyes. She was actually slightly taken aback.

"Other than the way we already know could get me out?" He asked, his hope tinged voice ringing through the suddenly very still, quiet room. Every head turned to Sam. Said person looked down, her eyes filled with sadness. She looked up at Rodney, their eyes locking for a few moments. Rodney sighed; he knew what she was about to say before she had even said it. His eyes lost that little bit of unfounded hope, becoming duller than Carter had ever seen them.

"Yeah. I hoped it wouldn't come to that. My illogical side did, I mean. It really is the only logical option, isn't it?" His voice had raised an octave as it often did when he was worried or high on adrenaline. Sam swallowed again and nodded.

John looked at the three scientists, his lips pierced. He was really getting annoyed with the riddles.

"Okay, what are you talking about?" His voice was gruff, his eyes narrowed slightly. Sam looked up slightly surprised. She had forgotten they, the others, were there. She turned to look around the room, stopping at John.

"We may have a plan to get Rodney out…"She said.

"Why do I get the impression that there's a "but" in there?"

"Because there is. And if I don't like it, I don't think any of you will. There are just too many risks." She swallowed.

John waited for her to continue. She didn't.

"And…What is it and what are the risks?"

She looked around again, her eyes tinged with worry and sadness.

"We've been looking at the schematics of the Jumper, and we've found out that the place where the device is on is directly over one of the, well, circuits of the Jumper's shield. When the device was damaged, we think that its connection with the Jumper was also damaged, damaging the circuits as well, causing problems with the shield. We think that there may be a way to send a directed energy pulse through the circuits to hit the device, shutting it off." She said, stopping as though there was more.

John didn't see any problem with the plan, but Col. Caldwell, who, being the captain of the Dedaulus, read reports about circuits and such thought he knew the problem.

"And, what's the problem?" John asked before Caldwell could say anything.

Carter leaned forward, putting her hands on the table.

"The device is farther up along the circuit lines than the main shield area." She started, but stopped. Several different expressions flew across her face, but John was pretty sure he understood what they meant. She didn't know how to explain what was happening. Finally, Carter seemed to decide she could explain it.

"Imagine a pipe line. One long pipe that leads directly to, umm, a bucket that can't overflow, i mean, it could, but it would be bad, okay? But, right in front of the drop off for the pipe is another one leading off in another direction. Which way would the water go?" She asked.

"It would travel down the one in front of the main pipe." John said, deciding to humor her.

"Exactly, but eventually the rest of the water would overwhelm the pipe and would go on in a rush to the main pipe. It's the same with this. We want to send an energy pulse to overwhelm the device, affectively blowing it out. But, what we're worried about is that then we won't be able to turn off the energy pulse, and it would keep going and over load the shield, umm, area, and that would be bad." She finished, wincing.

"How bad?" Dr. Woolsey asked, his eyes slightly more than slightly concerned.

Zelenka and Sam looked at each other, and then at McKay who was looking on sickly. Zelenka decided to answer.

"Well, to put it simply, it would go "boom"." He said, his hands gesturing and explosion.

Everyone looked at each other; each seeing in the other's face what was in their own: A boom would be bad.

A/N-Hmm, i bet the boom would look nice. I feel so bad for everyone. They haven't slept for like three days. So, here's another twist.

For next time-Will their plan work? Will the Jumper Explode? Will McKay survive? Will he ever get out? And if he does get out of there before it's too late, will he survive with the injuries he has sustained? And who kidnapped Rodney? Why did they fight? You'll just have to wait and see.

Thank-you, and please, please,please review! It makes me very happy and slightly mollyfied. Is that how you spell that?