Fragile Lives
Chapter 9
Teyla was just returning to John's shelter when she heard Marie's frantic shouts. Thinking the worse, she ran towards the nurse and was just in time to witness John's mad scurry across the field. Marie moved to stand besides her looking very distressed indeed. "I'm so sorry, I should have stopped him but I was worried about doing too much damage to his skin if we got into a grapple."
It was the end and they both knew it. Just like the other victims, John would die once this phase was over. Teyla felt her throat constrict with deep sorrow and untold pain. She swallowed hard, noticing that the others were running to join them from the decon area. Turning to face Marie, she quickly instructed. "Tell them what has happened and ask them to please remain here for a while. I will go and be with him until….until I signal for them…to…to come." Teyla's voice nearly broke on her last few words.
Marie nodded knowing that the Athosian wanted to spare John's people the horror of seeing him die in such an awful way. She only hoped it would not be too unbearable for Teyla also. She didn't try to stop her as the colonel certainly didn't deserve to die alone. He needed to be with one of his longstanding and most loyal friends in his last moments.
Hazmat suits made running a very difficult task and Teyla wished she could just dump it. Although she knew that was out of the question. Glancing over the field, she was amazed to see that John had managed to cover so much ground in his condition. However his progress seemed to have slowed somewhat and as she watched, he stumbled and fell to the ground just a short distance from the tree line. He tried to get up again but immediately collapsed to lie very still. Horrified, Teyla moved as quickly as she could even though part of her wanted to turn tail and run in the opposite direction. To spare the trauma of seeing John die or his lifeless agonised body already lying still on the ground.
It didn't take long for her to cover the distance. She slowed her pace as she neared his prone body. Teyla's heart pounded heavily in her chest as she came to a halt several feet away from him. Unable to move any closer, she stood looking at him for a long moment thinking he truly was already lost to her. He lay so still, curled up on his left side in a foetal position among patch of sweet smelling Shari blooms. The irony of it nearly broke her heart as her favourite flowers would be John's death bed. They surrounded him, their pale blue heads gently moving in the breeze as if to pay homage to a lost soul.
Finally picking up courage, Teyla carefully approached to kneel by his side. She felt no resistance as she gently rolled him over to lie in the crook of her arm and she expected to see his lifeless eyes stare back at her. Instead, he appeared to be still breathing, although somewhat slow and laboured. There were signs of great pain in his countenance but nothing like the agony written on the faces of the other victims.
John felt someone holding him, so he opened his eyes hoping to see the angel he'd seen only moments before. Confusion clouded his mind for a moment as the heavily clad figure was no angel in shining white but rather intimidating. It took him a moment to recognise Teyla under the ugly helmet and he vaguely wondered why she was wearing it. Then he remembered the quarantine and deadly virus. Once he realised it was Teyla it really didn't matter how she looked as she was an angel to him and the very person he longed to see at his end. John needed to tell her three important words before it was too late.
Somehow he managed to find the strength to open his mouth, though a gasp of pain escaped before he could prevent it. Agony shot up his legs to join the knot of pain that centred in his chest. Get it out before it's too late, his mind told him. "I love you," he gasped. There he had said it. Now he could…didn't someone tell him to fight this? Chaya? Chaya had said it and he could have sworn he'd seen her glowing figure across the field just a moment ago. Then he realised that the burning sensation had died down somewhat to a more manageable level. Although he still felt absolutely dreadful and so very weak. Yet despite those feelings, his stubborn willpower ordered him to fight on even though it seemed like the battle had lasted forever already and was likely to continue for a long time to come. So he must soldier on, not give up and not reach out for the peace that death would provide him. Fight on, his tortured mind ordered.
So John took another shuddering breath. And then another for her sake.
It was getting to be a habit this crying when covered by a hazmat suit. Not the most comfortable. Yet despite the irritation it caused, Teyla cried her heart out as she held him in her arms, ignoring the awful sores that covered his body. He loved her. Although it had been just a whisper that she'd hardly heard. John had told her so and not just in her dream. She slowly rocked him, expecting him to take his last breath at any minute. Time ticked by and somehow he continued to draw air. Eventually it penetrated her clouded brain that maybe they shouldn't be out here all alone on the damp and probably chilly ground. John needed to be examined by Carson or Jennifer, so she frantically waved her arm to draw their attention. They quickly reacted being halfway across the distance already anyway.
Teyla continued to hold John as they approached. Just before they arrived, she whispered. "I have always loved you too, John. Please survive for me." He murmured at that and somehow she knew he had understood.
"Oh good lord!" Carson cried.
Teyla looked up as she heard him approach to stand by her side. "He still breathes," she assured the doctor.
"Okay then, we'd best get him back to the shelter so I can see how much damage he's probably done to his skin." Carson bent down beside them. Behind the protection he could see the redness in Teyla's eyes, also a soft look as if something wonderful had happened. Maybe it had. "To tell you the honest truth, I never expected him to survive that mad dash. I can see from here that several sores are bleeding quite badly, I just hope there's nothing worse under his clothing."
Teyla hadn't really noticed them. John was only wearing a thin, loose-fitting top and shorts in an effort to keep him cool. His legs were bare and she could now see blood oozing from the sores. He was also covered in golden pollen from the Shari flowers and a little mud from the still drying ground. It seemed insignificant somehow. "I believe his stubborn strength continues to keep him with us."
"Aye." Carson replied. Then he silently thought. But we still need to find a cure against the bacteria that continued to play havoc due to his weakened immune system. However, he didn't voice that concern to the very distressed woman. Instead, he turned to Ronon and Rodney as they stood just a short distance away. "We'll need a stretcher here, ASAP."
"Already taken care of." Rodney assured him. "Jennifer has gone back to arrange it."
oOo
Nightfall brought the fever back up to dangerous levels and once again it looked like they would lose him. However, John continued to cling to life while Teyla and a team of nurses spent hours cooling him down with ice packs, which were carefully placed around his distressed body.
Earlier on, Ronon had taken Beth out of the shelter as she was now totally clear of the virus, which was a blessing really as the child should not be subjected to such suffering. She had already seen enough in her young life. Rodney had gone back to the jumper when told he was getting in the way. He had grumbled a bit but had left with a promise from Jennifer to call him immediately if things get any worse.
Jennifer stayed on duty throughout the night giving Carson a chance to rest as he was totally exhausted. Just before daybreak another storm blew in bringing cooler air into the shelter. It was really a blessing as it helped lower John's temperature to a more reasonable level, meaning the nurses and Jennifer could relax a little.
Teyla sighed as she carefully lowered herself onto the spare sleeping cot. She desperately wanted to rub the growing ache behind her eyes but the hazmat protection prevented it. She was bone tired and knew the nursing staff felt the same. The cot looked so inviting, yet she couldn't bring herself to stretch out and sleep as her worry was still far too great.
Jennifer came to sit beside her. "Why don't you go and get some rest."
Teyla turned and slowly shook her head so as not to aggravate her growing headache too much. "It is all right. I could not sleep even if I tried."
The young doctor nodded in understanding. "Yeah, I would feel the same if it was Rodney."
The storm passed through by midmorning and the sun came out to warm the land. It quickly dried the fields which had become somewhat muddy again. Teyla stepped outside for a minute wishing she could shed the uncomfortable headgear. She looked over the ground to the grove of trees where the Shari flowers grew. Later she would go and pick a few to place near John's bed. He still clung onto life and thankfully his fever had remained slightly lower. Teyla just hoped that the warmer weather wouldn't make it skyrocket again.
She turned her gaze away to look towards the other shelter. Ronon had stayed away claiming that Beth was still sleeping. Teyla knew he wasn't good around sickness, and the waiting and uncertainty was driving him mad. The not knowing how things will work out was an anxious time for them all but Ronon was taking it particularly bad as John was like an older brother to him. And Ronon had lost so many of his people over the years. It just seemed unfair that he should lose another even though John was no Satedan.
Over by the med lab, Rodney appeared to be chatting with Dr. Biro. Teyla watched as the pathologist slowly shook her head. Obviously she had no good news to give him and Rodney looked downhearted as he moved away towards the decon area, Teyla guessed to go through it as he hadn't been around yet.
Another figure approached her, freshly dressed in a clean hazmat suit. "Morning, lass, you look like you could do with some sleep, so please go and rest for a few hours."
"I do not think I could."
Carson rolled his eyes and looked a little frustrated. "What good will you be if you collapse on the Colonel. We've had this out before. Now go and rest even if you can't sleep. And get something to eat."
Teyla looked resigned. "Very well and it would be nice to get out this gear for a while as it is slowly driving me crazy."
"Aye, you can say that again. The good news is Dr. Biro believes the virus has nearly cleared from the Colonel's system, which could make the hazmat protection unnecessary in the near future."
Teyla perked up at that thinking she must have misinterpreted Rodney and Dr Biro's conversation. "Then he should be getting better soon?"
"Unfortunately while the virus is clearing, the nasty bacteria aren't. It will still be a battle to keep him from going under. And as I told you before the virus has greatly compromised his immune system making it harder for his body to fight the infections off. So far nothing we have tried has worked." Carson glanced towards the shelter. "I'm just going to assess the situation now and give Jennifer a break."
Teyla gave him a determined look. "Then I will go with you…," Carson was just about to object when she held up a hand to stall him, "After you have examined and assessed him, I promise to eat and try to rest."
"Okay then." Carson said no more as he turned and walked towards the isolation shelter.
Teyla trudged wearily behind him. She really was bone tired as she could hardly lift her feet across the rough, muddy ground. The hazmat suit making it even more difficult, it really would be lovely if they forgo them. Once inside, a determined look and a pointed finger from Carson made her sit down on the spare bed. A moment later an equally exhausted Jennifer moved to join Carson by John's bedside and the two doctors carried out the necessary examination.
Teyla watched in silence just praying for some sign of improvement. Suddenly, the cot rocked as someone bumped into it, rather clumsily. "Oops…sorry, I'll never get used to these darn suits." Rodney muttered as he stood over her.
"They may not be necessary soon." Teyla announced.
"Yes, Dr. Biro said as much but she was doom and gloom about the bacteria." Rodney said no more as he ambled closer to John's bed. The sight that greeted him made him wince as Carson had just uncovered John's upper body to revel several really nasty abscesses on his chest. "Oh my god even if he survives this he's going to have some really bad scaring. Not so handsome anymore." He almost sounded pleased by it, which they were sure he wasn't really. Although, he'd always seemed a little jealous of John's good looks and sex appeal.
"Rodney!" Several voices called at once.
Jennifer looked pained. Although she loved him, sometimes he could be the most insensitive prig. "When he gets over this I'm sure the sores will clear up and fade with time. Besides, he hardly has any on his face."
The heart monitor picked up a slight increase in heart-rate almost as if John had heard them, yet he reminded deeply unconsciousness. Rodney looked slightly ashamed as he suddenly realised how insensitive his observation had been. "Sorry, I just hate being around sick people, especially someone that I really care about."
"We know you do, Rodney." Carson murmured, but he didn't look up as he closely examined one of the leg sores. "What's this stuff on the wound?" He queried one of the attending nurses.
She came forward and looked a bit concerned. "I'm so sorry, Dr. Beckett, we didn't like to scrub too hard or introduce a stronger solution. Some of the flower residue and dirt just couldn't be removed so we thought it best to leave it."
"Its pollen and sap is from those lovely blue flowers isn't it?"
Teyla stood up when she heard them talk. "They are called Shari blooms and grow quite prevalently on many planets."
Jennifer had bent to see what Carson was talking about. She straightened and asked him. "What do you think? Coincidence or cure?"
Carson pondered for a moment. "Could be just the beginning of an improvement anyway but it's worth looking into it. Be a good lad, Rodney, go and gather some of the flowers and take them directly to Dr. Biro."
"What! Me pick flowers?"
"Yes, it's important and no one is going to think any the less of you for doing so. Now you know what they look like?" Rodney shook his head. "Good grief man they were growing all around the Colonel where he fell yesterday."
"I will go, Carson." Teyla quickly intervened.
"Oh no, you won't. You're going to eat something and then rest. You too Jennifer, ya both look about really to drop. Rodney?"
"Alright, alright, going already. Blue flowers," he pointed to the bed, "Don't you mention a word of this to him or Ronon."
"We won't." Carson assured him. "Oh and make sure the flowers are still intact. Hopefully the rain hasn't damaged the delicate blooms too much."
While Rodney reluctantly trudged out, Teyla asked. "Why do you require the flowers?"
"Because," Carson pointed to John's leg, "this sore and several others are showing signs of healing. It could be the antibiotics are finally working or something in the flowers acts as a natural remedy. Either way, Dr. Biro needs to look into it and hopefully find out why because his other sores are showing no signs of receding despite having received the same medication."
For the first time since the nightmare had started, Teyla began to feel a little more hopeful. Maybe, just maybe, her favourite flowers would help heal the man she'd finally admitted to truly love.
TBC
