Thanks for the reviews. Keeps me writing. :)
Title: Perturbo (Latin for trouble)
Author: Cindy Ryan
Pairings: Sheppard/Keller
Category: angst, romance
Spoilers: Trio, outcast
Summary: Rework of Trio….what if Rodney hadn't been strong enough?
Rodney awoke to find morning sunlight streaming in from the hallway beyond. He blinked and once his eyes finally focused McKay was startled to see an empty bed beside him.
"Wonder where she is."McKay muttered worriedly. He knew with Sam's injuries she wouldn't have been released.
"Surgery."
Rodney jumped at the familiar voice and whirled to his left. A little too fast for his over-extended muscles and bruised ribs. Rodney's breath hitched as pain sliced through his torso.
Rodney slowly lowered himself back down onto the bed and glared at Ronon who was sitting in the chair Sheppard had been earlier.
"You okay?"
"I am going to put a bell around your neck."Rodney grumbled but nodded at Dex's question. "How long have you been here and what surgery?"
"Hour. She's bleeding inside."
Rodney blanched and swallowed hard. Exactly what Jennifer had been worried about.
Had he done more damage by carrying Sam? Should he have just went to a safe distance and waited for a rescue?
"How long has she been in surgery?"Rodney asked quietly.
"Thirty minutes."
Rodney had never been one to believe in curses. Now though he was starting to wonder if someone had placed one on the Atlantis expedition.
So many losses……Ford,Carson, Elizabeth, Jennifer.
Rodney had lost count of how many times Sheppard had cheated death and lived to tell about it.
"She'll be fine."Rodney stated firmly as he pulled the blanket up around his chest.
"Yeah."Ronon acknowledged as he leaned back in the chiar.
Rodney could tell the Satedan wasn't any more convinced than he was.
/Sam would pull through it/ Rodney reasoned silently./She just had to. There had to be a way to turn the tide. Fate owed them one./
Jennifer hadn't realized she'd drifted off to sleep when the wall behind her began to vibrate. A low rumble from below made Jennifer's eyes snap open.
Tremor.
Jennifer drew herself as small as possible on the tiny ledge ignoring the pain from her ribs. She prayed the ledge would hold.
As Jennifer sat, waiting for the quake to subside she couldn't help but wonder about Rodney and Sam.
Did they survive?
Did they make it back home?
Just as the tremor subsided Jennifer heard a sound she really didn't want to hear.
An earsplitting crack.
Jennifer froze, holding her breath as she listened. With the echoes in the shaft she couldn't tell if it was from above or below.
Jennifer screamed as medium sized rocks began to fall She quickly covered her head and flattened herself against the wall.
She heard one smash into the ledge inches to her right and crash through.
Finally all was quiet again and Jennifer lowered her arms. It was then that she noticed the darkness around her wasn't as black.
It was now more the color of a storm cloud.
That meant light.
Excitedly Jennifer craned her head trying to look for the source.
If she had light, she'd know what she had to work with to come up with a plan.
Jennifer gingerly stood on the tiny ledge careful to avoid the spot that had broken. She trained her gaze on the wall behind her going inch by inch.
After ten minutes Jennifer spotted where the light was coming from. Roughly fifty feet above her the wall had shattered from the quake creating a long crack.
The crack itself was only about two inches wide but it was enough.
Enough for her to see.
Enough for her to call for help.
