Promises to Keep---8
Rodney McKay closed his eyes and pretended he was sleeping, but his ribs ached and sitting in the chair was not helping him at all. He wished he could lie down in his comfortable bed on Atlantis, but he knew he would not rest until he kept his promise to John Sheppard. The man was exasperating and got on his nerves sometimes…hell if he was honest it was most of the time, but there was something about Sheppard that brought out the best in him. Sheppard challenged him to think outside the box and rely on other things besides the tried and true. John had seen right through his own façade and understood there was more to Rodney McKay than the smartest man in the galaxy. Rodney smiled in spite of his discomfort at the memory of how many times Sheppard had caught him in his little idiosyncrasy of making everything seem like an impossible situation and called him on it.
God, how he wished they could have that little sparring match right now, but Sheppard was not here, not yet anyway. When they reached John, Rodney prayed they'd find things were not as bad as Lo'ra'tek had told him. 'Just hang on, Sheppard, we're on our way,' he thought and shifted slightly, scowling when he felt someone touch his forehead.
"You should have stayed on Atlantis," Beckett lightly scolded and reached for his med kit.
"I'm okay, Carson…"
"No, you're not, but you will be because I don't intend to let you do anything stupid," Beckett told him and showed him the item he had in his hand. "This will help with the pain…"
"You're not knocking me out!" McKay warned.
"I have no intention of knocking you out, Rodney, it's just something to give you some relief," Beckett assured him and gave the man the injection before he could mount much of a protest.
"Dammit, Carson, I thought doctors were supposed to have a gentle touch!" McKay snapped and rubbed his arm.
"We do, but we prefer to save it for those patients who appreciate what we do for them," Beckett said with a ghost of a smile as he retook his seat next to Ronan Dex.
"How long before we reach the planet?" McKay asked Lorne.
"An hour…depending on the atmospheric interference," the major answered. "We should be able to locate the compound Lo'ra'tek mentioned. Did he say anything about Kolya being able to detect incoming crafts?"
"No, but it's doubtful when you consider the atmospheric interference would wreak havoc with their systems…what about our own? Did you do a systems check to make sure the shields are functioning properly?"
"I did, and everything's working fine, Dr. McKay," Lorne said and returned his attention to the task at hand.
SGASGASGASGASGASGA
Kolya made his way across the compound toward Sheppard cell, but stopped and looked around when his instincts kicked in and he felt something was wrong. The wraith guards were still in position, but something told him they were guarding an empty cell. He moved carefully across the rest of the compound and entered through the partially open door, silently cursing when he saw the empty cot in the corner.
Kolya closed the door and looked around, spotting several of the small humanoids nearby and knew they were behind Sheppard's disappearance. He knew the one who seemed to be their leader and knew his instincts had been right about them. They only appeared to be harmless, when in reality they were cunning and dangerous. He turned to the first guard and asked where Michael was, but neither of the wraiths spoke to him.
Kolya made his way across the compound and stood outside the structure used by Michael and his followers and debated whether he should simply go inside and ask about Sheppard. The problem with that was he didn't think Michael knew anything about Sheppard's disappearance. The small humanoids seemed to be chittering excitedly amongst themselves and there was no sing of Aiden Ford anywhere. The wraith hybrid had disappeared and there was still no sign of him anywhere.
"You should leave now before they kill you," Lo'ra'tek warned from behind him and waited for the former Genii commander to turn and face him.
"Who are you to tell me what I should do?" Kolya snapped, bending slightly at the waist and pasted a chilling smile on his face.
"The wraith have been feeding, but they are angry and Michael blames you for Ford's betrayal."
"Where is Ford?"
"I do not know, but the wraith are going to be angry when they find Sheppard is no longer inside," Lo'ra'tek advised.
"How do you know Sheppard is gone?" Kolya asked, grabbing the smaller humanoid by the throat and lifting him off his feet. There was no doubt in his mind that he had found the person responsible for the colonel's disappearance, but something told him he wouldn't get the answers he wanted. "Where is he?"
"You would be well advised to leave now while you can," Lo'ra'tek ground out.
"Why? Are you little people going to kill me?"
"If it becomes necessary that could be arranged, but I believe the danger is from Michael and his followers. They are not going to believe you had nothing to do with Colonel Sheppard's escape."
"I should kill you…"
"Perhaps, but it would not get you what you want and I believe you are in need of help if you wish to escape before the wraith realize Sheppard is gone," Lo'ra'tek said and was forcefully thrown to the ground.
"I have a way off this planet," Kolya told him.
"Then you should leave now because Michael and the others will be finished feeding soon and will be looking to take Sheppard and make him tell them what they want. They will be angry and who do you think they will blame? You are one man to their many and they do not care whether you live or die."
"What about you and your kind? Won't they look at feeding off you?"
"We do not plan to be here when they make the discovery," Lo'ra'tek advised and turned to see the others waiting for him.
"What about Sheppard? Do you plan on leaving him to the wraith?" Kolya asked.
"No…Colonel Sheppard will be fine…he is safe until his friends arrive…"
"Where?"
"I will not tell you…your time is running out, Kolya…you must leave now if you wish to escape."
"I'm not a coward…"
"It is not a coward who runs out when he knows there are insurmountable odds…it is a smart man," Lo'ra'tek advised and turned away from Kolya. He'd given the Genii commander a chance to leave and survive, whether the man took advantage f it or not, no longer mattered. It was time for him to leave and follow their own calling, but he wondered how Sheppard and the others would make out once McKay showed up. Would he find the Colonel in time or would the wraith discover the cave first? It was not for him to know, and he made his way to the others, turning in time to see Kolya disappear and wondered if the man would heed his warning.
SGASGASGASGASGA
John shivered uncontrollably and fought to open his eyes, but it seemed to take every ounce of strength he had just to take in enough oxygen to satisfy his lungs. He shifted slightly, crying out when pain sprang to life and reminded him his body was not meant to withstand this kind of abuse. He closed his eyes, but opened them again as a strange, almost muted sound reached his ears. Memories came flooding back and he frantically searched his surroundings for the source of the sound and realized it was coming from the man lying nearby.
"Ford?" Sheppard called and called on his own stubbornness to pull himself into a sitting position. He had to lean against the cold wall of the cave to keep from blacking out when pain raced along jagged nerve endings and slammed into his skull with enough force to make him nauseas.
It took several long, agonizing minutes to get his body and mind focused on what he needed to do and he blinked several times until his vision cleared. Once more he looked at the figure lying on the floor beside him and reached out to touch the man's shoulder. "Ford…Aiden, can you hear me?"
Sheppard's concern increased when there was no answer from the other man and he forced himself to ignore the fiery agony that encompassed his own body and dragged the unconscious man closer. He must have blacked out because he could not remember succeeding in getting Ford into a sitting position and leaning against his chest. Ford was trembling, but how badly was hard to tell because Sheppard knew his own body was shaking uncontrollably.
"Aiden, come on, open your eyes and…God," Sheppard cried out as a spasm ripped through his lower back, but he did not relinquish his hold on his friend. He stayed as he was, eyes closed, breathing irregular, and holding on to Ford for dear life, afraid if he let go they would both die. "Come on Ford…wake up…don't do this to me…not now…God, I can't…Wake up, Lieutenant! That's an order, Soldier!"
"Yes, Sir," Ford's voice was so low it was barely heard, but it brought a smile to Sheppard's battered face.
""Bout time…was just about to threaten you with a court martial," Sheppard warned and held tightly to Ford when he tried to draw away. "Just rest, Aiden, I got you."
"I…I thought I was sup…posed to be tak…taking care of you," Ford told him.
"Well, right now I'd say it's about 50/50 in that department. What's happened to you? Where are you hurt?"
"I'm not hurt…not like you think, Colonel," Ford said, fighting to control his breathing. And keep from passing out again.
"Then what's going on? Is it the enzyme?" Sheppard asked worriedly, fighting the waves of pain and fatigue that washed over him. With his arms wrapped around Ford's chest he could feel Ford's heart beating too rapidly and wished Beckett was here, but right now they only had each others. Ford's head came to rest against his shoulder and John wished he could do something to help, but right now he was as helpless as a newborn kitten.
"I…the enzyme…I stop…stopped taking it, Colonel…it w…was like a d…drug…"
"So this is like with…drawal?" Sheppard asked.
"W…worse…I think…I can't…my body is shut…ting down, Sir, and there's not a d…damn thing anyone c…can do…I'm dying."
"No…no you're not, Ford! I won't let you!" Sheppard snapped, but it felt as if he was watching the former lieutenant's life drain out in front of his eyes. "You listen to me, Lieutenant, because I hate repeating myself! I won't let you die."
"Don't have a choice any…more, Sir," Ford said, his voice weak and barely audible. "I…I didn't choose this, but I did choose to make the mistakes afterward…"
"That was the enzyme…not you…"
"The enzyme was part of it, Colonel, but not everything. I chose to make Teyla, Ronan, and McKay into something they didn't want and you know why?"
"The…"
"No, Sir, not the enzyme…not to…totally anyway. I did it because I didn't want to be alone…I wanted to have them like me…"
"Then why didn't you give it to me?" Sheppard asked.
"Because you're Colonel Sheppard…you're my commanding officer and even with the…the enzyme I understood the necessity of not breaking those rules. I co…couldn't do that to you, Sir…not after everything you did for me…for everyone on Atlantis," Ford answered.
"I don't th…think everyone would agree with you about that, Lieutenant," Sheppard said and closed his eyes as the pain intensified.
"You're a natural leader, Colonel and I…I was honored to serve with you…"
"Thank you, Aiden," Sheppard managed before slipping unconscious once more.
SGASGASGASGASGASGA
Major Evan Lorne held tight to the controls and maneuvered the Puddle Jumper through the worst of the turbulence and broke through the thick atmospheric phenomenon into a bleak landscape that looked barren and uninhabitable. He banked left, using the controls to keep the craft invisible to anyone who might be searching for them.
"Anything, Rodney?" Beckett asked.
"Nothing yet…although there seem to be several life signs just south of those mountains. I'm not picking up Sheppard's IDC, but that could be due to the atmosphere's interference," McKay answered. The medication Beckett had given him dulled the pain and allowed him to concentrate on his job and so far he had been able to get them through the violent atmosphere and closer to their destination. "Lo'ra'tek said he would try to protect Sheppard, but God only knows whether he was able to or not."
"Just find them," Dex ordered.
"I'm doing my best…this is not a game of eenie meanie minie moe. This is precision instrumentation and it's important to…wait!" McKay snapped and checked several readings. "Major, go left about one point two kilometers and stay on that course."
"What is it, Rodney?" Beckett asked.
"I'm picking up two life signs…both are weak and separate from the others. I'm thinking Lo'ra'tek was able to get Sheppard away from the others and is holding him there. The structure showing up here looks like some kind of buildings and there are a lot of life signs…way too many for us to confront," the Canadian explained. "Just a little further, Major, and hopefully there's a clearing nearby for us to land and mount a rescue effort."
"Rodney, you and Ronan should stay…"
"No way in hell, Carson," McKay snapped and could see the surprise on Beckett's face. "I need to be there…and so does, Ronan…right?"
"Right," Dex agreed easily and knew there was no way anyone could stop McKay short of knocking him out. The closer they got to their final destination the stronger and more stubborn the Canadian would become.
SGASGASGASGASGASGA
John Sheppard woke to the raging pain that now seemed the norm for him. He was also hot…hotter than he ever thought possible and a part of him knew there were two causes. The first was the fever building inside him, and the second was the man who leaned back against him. Ford's heartbeat was no longer fast and furious…no longer racing as if the man had been in a run for his life. Instead it was weak and thready and Sheppard knew there was nothing he could do to save him.
"Colonel…you a…wake?"
"I'm right here, Lieutenant, just be quiet and save your strength," Sheppard warned and felt as if his heart was being cut from his chest with each breath Ford managed. It had always been hard on him when he lost a man under his command, but this felt ten times worse than anything he'd ever been through before.
"Colonel, would you…could you tell the o…others…tell them I'm sorry…"
"You can tell them yourself when they get here. That's an or…order, Soldier!" Sheppard told him. He felt a spasm wrack the other man's body and held him in spite of his own pain. Ford's elbow connected with the wounds to his abdomen and he cried out, but did not release his hold on Aiden Ford. "Just hold on to me, Aiden…God help me, but I can't…can't…"
"Colonel, you've always b…been a friend and I t…thank you and I'm s…sorry for what I did to you…and the others," Ford said once the spasm had finally subsided and he could breathe a little easier. He groaned and curled into a fetal position, clinging to Sheppard's arm in an effort to ease the knife twisting in his gut. He was dying, there was no doubt of that and he looked up into the sorrow filled eyes gazing down at him. He lifted his left hand and touched Sheppard's cheek where evidence of his own emotional upheaval was visible.
"Lieutenant…"
"It was an honor to serve with you, Colonel," Ford said, a hint of a smile on his face as his eyes cleared for several seconds.
"It is an honor to serve with you, Lieutenant Aiden Ford…I promise you that your family will know that you gave your life to save others…including me," Sheppard said, holding the other man tight as he drew his final breath, shuddered and went still in Sheppard's arms.
TBC
