Chapter 7 - They didn't brush their teeth did they.

"McKay, wake up."

Rodney jolted awake, confused. Who had called him? "What!"

"Door chime."

Finding it difficult to stir, Rodney wondered what time it was as he struggled upright on legs half dead from sleeping on the hard, awkward chair. Not looking at Sheppard he staggered to the door. "Who's there?"

"It's Marie, Dr. McKay. You better let me in before someone sees me."

Rodney opened the door just wide enough to let the woman slip by him. "Sorry. Is it that late already?

But Marie didn't answer as she quickly moved toward the bed. Concerned, she sat down and placed her hand upon the colonel's forehead and for the first time Rodney noticed how ill Sheppard looked. "How long has he had a fever like this?"

"Err…I…."

John answered for him. "Didn't like to disturb him, he was sleeping so peacefully."

Marie looked puzzled. "Are you always so considerate?" John shook his head, which caused the buzzing in his ears to increase. "No matter but I wish you had of woken him earlier. On the other hand he couldn't very well have turned up in the infirmary." She stuck a thermometer in his ear. "You've got quite a temperature. I'd better see what the bite wound is doing. Then I'll try another medication to get that fever down and fight whatever infection has set in. Your blood work didn't show any abnormalities other than a raised white cell count, which is your body's natural response against bacteria. There were also traces of a pain inducer."

Rodney couldn't keep quiet about that. "A what?"

"A substance that enhances pain, Dr. McKay."

"Yes, yes, I realise that. Just didn't know such a thing existed."

Then John remembered the cruel face hovering over him, telling him the same. "He told me he'd used one."

Marie looked alarmed. "Who used it on you?"

"He looked a little like our Dr. Marston. The same doctor who administered a pain killer later."

Marie simply nodded. She knew it was probably Marston, although there was nothing she could do about it. But before explaining she got to work removing John's leg dressing.

"Unfortunately there are several substances found throughout Pegasus that are known to enhance pain. It's especially effective when substantial pain is already present, as in your case, Colonel. It must have been injected directly into your IV port but the good news is your system will have already begun to flush it out." Marie looked down at wound and sighed. "I'm afraid the bad news is that the wound has become quite infected. Sorry, I'm going to have to do a debridement and I can only give you a local for it."

John had had the procedure done before but under a general anaesthetic. He wasn't looking forward to it. "Do what you have to because I really need to get back on my feet."

"Believe me when I say that will be a while yet. Okay, I will need your help, Dr. McKay." Marie requested.

Rodney went quite pale but although he didn't like the idea, he knew it was the only way to help Sheppard. If John could face it then so could he. And he'd delivered Teyla's baby so how hard could this be? He'd have to put on a brave front and not look too closely. So Rodney squared his shoulders, took a deep breath and asked what needed to be done.

He was very thankful when the procedure didn't take too long and Rodney was pretty sure Sheppard was too. He noted that Marie seemed satisfied with the outcome. She then injected several medications to help fight the fever before giving John some water. He nodded his thanks and settled down afterwards to sleep some more.

Marie turned to McKay with a sigh. "We'll have to wait and see how well he responds to the treatment." She suddenly stopped talking and really scrutinized Rodney before saying. "You still look tired and you must be hungry. Why don't you get something to eat while I stay here?"

"Oh yes, I'm hungry but am I safe going out there? I mean won't Teyla be on the war path?"

Marie chuckled. "That's good question. I really don't know for sure. There's talk that she may have disowned you, believing that you have been influenced by the devil. She means John Sheppard by that. Although you should be okay if you just go to the mess hall. She prefers to cook her own meals, so she rarely goes there."

Teyla can cook? That's different. "Aren't they asking questions about Sheppard?"

"Plenty. Everyone knows you took him to his quarters. That's why they think you've been influenced by something that happened on the planet."

Rodney glanced at his sick friend. "Oh yes, if only I could get that information."

"I'm sorry, even if you had the location you couldn't take him back to your reality just yet. He's far too sick to move at the present time. Oh and Director Weir is back. She's asking after Sheppard's wellbeing, so she may visit him soon."

Rodney didn't like the sound of that. "I didn't even know she hadn't been in the city?"

"Sorry, I thought you knew that. She has a lover on Athos. Spends quite a lot of time with him"

Rodney looked astounded. "Really?" There was so much he didn't know yet about this reality.

Seeing the worry on Rodney's face, she added. "I'll try and put her off for a while. Okay. Anyway because she is back our people will have to co-operate more in treating Sheppard."

Rodney nodded gratefully. They certainly weren't ready for an encounter with Weir yet.

oOo

Marie wiped Sheppard's body down in an effort to cool him. It seemed a useless gesture for nothing she did reduced the high fever that now burned within the man. She squeezed out the cloth and repeated the procedure while McKay snored lightly in a nearby chair. He had done his bit during the long day. They both had after Marie had reported in sick in order to spend more time with the ailing colonel.

She had seen the fear on McKay's face. Fear of losing a friend. Of being left alone in this strange situation. It was obvious that their friendship meant an awful lot to both men and Marie intended to help them all she could. To help prevent the loss of one but sometimes it seemed like an impossible task. Especially when their medicines didn't seem to be working against whatever bacteria had been in the creature's mouth. If only they still had a supply of the strong antibiotics they'd brought from Earth.

Several hours before Marie had confided in Dr. Beckett. Told him she was convinced these men weren't the ones they knew. Like McKay had said…were from another reality. She had explained how different they seemed, especial Sheppard in both looks and personality. Beckett hadn't appeared swayed but had promised to take a further look at the dead creature. Extract some samples of saliva. Look under a microscope to see if any of their medicine would do the trick to help this so called alternate version of John Sheppard. Marie had been grateful, although not very hopeful. Before leaving Beckett to do his work, she had asked him to check Sheppard's blood for the ATA gene as that would be definite proof of the man's identity. Beckett had agreed.

Yet every time she had changed the dressings, Sheppard's leg wound had looked better with no sign of the infection spreading. So Marie could only deduce that the bacteria were already in the blood stream before she had done the debridement. If so it would be very hard fight indeed. One she was afraid they were losing. In a way…very sad because she had a feeling this Sheppard was someone special and not only to McKay.

When the door chime sounded and Marie nearly jumped out of her skin. She looked to her time piece, noting it was late evening already. No wondered the fever was at its highest peak.

Before she could move, McKay staggered to the door. "Who is it?" he shouted.

"Och, Dr. McKay, it's me. Now let me in before someone sees me here and sends me to have ma head examined."

Rodney looked puzzled as Marie had not mentioned confiding with Carson Beckett. She gently called "It's all right let him in." So Rodney quickly nodded and let the Scot pass.

Carson stood before the bed trying to keep his distain from showing. He had never liked the man or McKay come to that. Sheppard looked dreadful and despite his feelings towards the man, Carson feared he was already too late. He didn't say a word, didn't discuss the matter before moving directly to the dying man. Holding John's limp and sweaty arm, he injected a substance directly into a vein.

"What was that?" Rodney demanded. Concerned that Beckett may have done more harm than good.

"We've nothing to lose. That medicine will either help him or do nothing to prolong the inevitable. It does seem you're telling the truth because he definitely has the ATA gene. But no matter where he comes from it makes no difference because he is dying. The bacteria in the creature's mouth contained a very nasty cocktail indeed. Kind of reminds me of the Komodo Dragons back on Earth. Anyway that's the strongest medicine we've got but it has proven effective against a number of bad cases of infection we've had to deal with over the last few years since our antibiotics ran out."

Rodney looked shocked. When he really thought about it the creatures did kind of remind him of the Komodo Dragons only they walked on two legs and moved considerably faster. He didn't get a chance to ask anymore as Beckett quickly left the room, stating that he had important work to do elsewhere.

Marie also stood and began to pick up her things. She was bone weary. "I'm so sorry, Dr. McKay but I really need to rest right now. There's plenty of fresh water and snacks to keep your hypoglycaemia from giving you any trouble. Keep cooling him down with cold water and pray. I'll be back first thing tomorrow to see how things are and change the leg dressing."

If necessary, she thought to herself as Marie did not expect to find Sheppard alive come morning.

tbc


Bit of a shorter chapter this time but I wanted to post something. Thanks again for those great reviews and please keep them coming so I know you're still enjoying the story. Have a great weekend what's left of it.