John and Rodney's fingers tightened on their triggers as the sound of footfalls became more pronounced. Just as he was about to loose a barrage of bullets, John heard a familiar voice called out, "Sheppard? McKay?"
Rodney shut his eyes in relief and lowered his gun. "We're in here," he called out.
Dex, with several soldiers in tow, soon appeared in the cavern's entrance.
"Nice of you to join us," said John, flipping the safety on the gun and turning his attention back to Teyla.
Ronon took in the scene, a myriad of questions springing up in his dark eyes, but he resolutely stuck to the business at hand. "You were late checking in so Weir sent us to look for you."
"Lucky for us she did," said Beckett.
"We spotted a Genii patrol in the area. The jumper is cloaked about a hundred yards from here," Ronon said, taking the machine gun Sheppard handed him. "Can you make it?"
John gently lifted the semi-conscious Teyla into his arms. "Lead the way," he told Satedian.
They made it back to the jumper without incident, unsure if they were just lucky or if the Genii knew better than to engage such a heavily armed group of men.
Once in the jumper, John eased Teyla down onto one of the bench seats in the back, covering her with a blanket one of the soldiers handed him. Carson handed the babies off to Rodney and quickly snapped open the jumper's medical kit and pulled out several items before rummaging around in the overhead compartment for more supplies.
Meanwhile, Rodney took a seat in the co-pilot's chair, careful to keep the bundles facing away from any curious on-lookers.
"You all set back there, Doc?" asked the pilot over his shoulder after giving Rodney and his accompanying payload a cursory glance.
"Yes, go, go!" encouraged Carson, pulling off a syringe cap with his teeth and injecting Teyla with medication in the hopes of stabilizing her blood pressure and erratic heartbeat.
The relatively short trip back to the gate was made longer by the intense silence of all those aboard and the heavy tension emanating from the rear of the jumper as the two men worked to save Teyla.
Once they landed, the military personnel quickly filed out at Beckett's command, leaving space clear for his medical team and a gurney. They efficiently prepared Teyla for transport and whisked her away to the infirmary, John close beside them, his eyes never leaving her face.
Rodney continued to sit in the empty jumper, still stunned by the recent events. He was trying to summon up the energy to follow them when he heard a voice call his name. "In here," he replied.
"There you are," said Elizabeth, some of the worry draining from her face when she saw he was okay. She quietly took the pilot's empty seat and gave an amused frown to see him laden with two infants when his anti-child reputation was so well known. "Are those the babies?" she asked, already knowing the answer. Accepting one of the small bundles Rodney handed her, she examined the tiny face curiously. "Why they look almost…" Her comment was cut off in a gasp of surprise as the baby opened its eyes. She flashed him a startled look.
"Exactly," said Rodney, carefully rising so as not to distrub the sleeping child in his arms. "I suppose we should get them to the infirmary."
"Yes, we should." agreed Elizabeth, still looking a little shaken. She rose and followed him out of the jumper and toward the medical facilities.
Carson looked up when they entered. "Take them into isolation room two," he said quickly before returning his attention back to Teyla's pale form. He and his team wheeled her gurney into a neighboring room.
The isolation cubicles formed a long row in the back of the infirmary separated from each other by Plexiglas walls over which a curtain could be drawn. No one had yet pulled the curtain in Teyla's cubical so Rodney and Elizabeth watched through the glass in their adjoining room as Carson and his team worked to stabilize the Athosian.
After half an hour, the intense activity in Teyla's room died down and Carson entered their cubical carrying an armful of blankets and towels. He put them down on the bed and reached for the infant Elizabeth was holding. She handed the bundle over obediently and he unwrapped the tiny form and laid it on one of the towels before handing the now-empty jacket back to its original owner. Rodney shifted the baby in his arms to free a hand and pinched the collar of the soiled jacket between his finger and thumb, holding it as far away as possible, a disgusted look on his face.
Elizabeth let out an exasperated snort and snatched it from him, folding it so that the gory part was contained in the middle of the bundle before placing it on a nearby chair. "I'll have it cleaned for you."
"There's not enough bleach in both galaxies combined," Rodney replied, grimacing at the thought of the various bodily fluids that would have soaked into the jacket's lining. "I'll requisition a new one, just save my maple leaf."
Carson proceeded to clean the tiny form carefully, checking the infant over for any signs of injury or distress from his unscheduled entrance into the world. The child had yet to utter a sound, even when he placed the chilly stethoscope on its chest. He listened intently for a few moments before taking off the device and looping it around his neck to continue his examination. "Did you notice this," he asked, gently uncurling one of the small hands to reveal a familiar mark on the baby's palm.
Rodney and Elizabeth both leaned in so that they could get a better look as Carson turned aside to pick up a needle. He pricked the infant's foot to obtain a blood sample and was momentarily shocked by the inhuman hiss that issued from the baby's mouth. He hesitated only a moment before completing the task, and pointedly did not look at either Rodney or Elizabeth though the two of them exchanged shocked glances behind his back.
Rodney, ever the practical one, broke the tense silence. "So, what do we feed them?"
"Zaddik said Ellya survived on 'normal' food for a time. Mother's milk would be best but Teyla's not capable of nursing them so we'll try formula."
"You have baby formula?" asked Elizabeth, surprised.
"Aye," he said, tucking the blanket tightly around the child. "I requisitioned some as part of our last medical supply run. It seems like there's always someone in Teyla's village who's pregnant and I thought it would be a good idea to have some on hand, just in case. He handed the baby back to Elizabeth and reached for Rodney's charge, performing the same exam and receiving the same protest from the infant when he took a blood sample.
The faint beeping of a nearby monitor along with John's frantic cry penetrated the nearly sound-proof room. He quickly swaddled the baby in the blanket and pressed him back into Rodney's hands before dashing out towards Teyla's cubical. Elizabeth absently rocked the child she was holding and watched though the window as a nurse performed CPR and Beckett called for various equipment and drugs. John had backed into a corner so he was out of the way of the medical personnel but Elizabeth knew nothing short of an atomic blast would remove the man from the room. A crash cart arrived and for several minutes Teyla was intermittently shocked while the doctor and nurses plugged various medications into her I.V. Eventually the activity paused and she saw Carson studying the heart monitor intently. The grim but relieved look on his face told her that the immediate danger had passed.
After a few more minutes, he returned to their cubical, stopping to give instructions to a nurse before he entered. He rubbed his face tiredly as he entered, looking up to see their worried faces. "That was too close."
"What now?" Rodney asked, looking down at the baby he was holding.
"I've asked Mary to bring us an incubator. She had a stint in pediatrics before she came here so she's the best person to look after them. Plus she's extremely discreet." He rubbed the back of his neck absently. "For the moment, we can use the excuse of their premature birth to keep them isolated, but…" He left the thought unfinished.
"I know," said Elizabeth. "I thought I was going to have a few more weeks to figure this out though."
Carson shrugged sympathetically. "I can give you a few days, maybe even a week."
"Thanks," she said just as the nurse entered pushing what appeared to be a large clear box on wheels.
"Here we go," the nurse said cheerfully, plugging the device into the wall before reaching out for the infant Rodney was holding. He handed the baby over without resistance. The infant opened eyes at the movement, causing a strangled gasp from the nurse. She glanced at Beckett in shock.
"You understand why I want only you in charge of their care," he said.
She swallowed hard and gently placed the baby in the incubator. "Yes, Doctor."
"Good lass," Carson said and watched as she took the other child from Elizabeth without hesitation settling him beside his brother.
"We'll try some of that latest shipment of Enfamil," he told her.
"I saw a case of it in the storeroom yesterday; I'll see if I can find it." She gave him a nod before leaving the room in search of the cans.
Carson turned to the two remaining adults as he tucked the infants' blood samples into his lab coat pocket. "You two should go and get some sleep. It's been a long day."
Elizabeth raised an eyebrow at him. "It's been an equally long day for you as well, I think."
He looked worriedly through the glass at Teyla's bed. "I'll catch a nap on the cot in my office."
Elizabeth put her hand on his arm in gentle inquiry.
"It's touch and go," he said dejectedly before ushering them out of the room and the infirmary.
-
Rodney collapsed face-down into their bed. "My sore muscles have sore muscles," he complained.
Elizabeth accepted the challenge and straddled his back, kneading his neck and shoulders.
"Oh, God. You have three years to stop that," he responded contentedly, completely relaxing for the first time in what seems like weeks.
She smiled and continued working her fingers into the stiffened muscles for a few moments before saying anything. Finally she asked, "Do you want to talk about it?"
He shifted his head slightly so his cheek rested against the cool sheets of their bed. "I killed a man today."
Her fingers faltered at his admission.
Oblivious to her lapse, Rodney continued, mentally reliving the experience. "At first, I didn't even realize that I had pulled the trigger--not until he fell."
"You did what you had to do," said Elizabeth, knowing it would be true. She returned her attention to a particularly tight area in his back. "You shouldn't feel guilty about that."
"I don't, and I'd do it again. I think that's what really bothers me most about it." He shuddered as he remembered the other Genii soldiers lying in their own congealing blood. "Sheppard was…" he paused, remembering the feral look on the colonel's face and the blood-covered knife in his hand as Sheppard dispatched the guards that stood between them and escape without even a moment's hesitation.
"Sheppard was what?" prompted Elizabeth, pausing in mid massage.
But Rodney firmly banished the image from his mind and ignored the question. "It was the Genii. The whole thing was a set up so they could get their hands on the babies," he said, quietly. "God knows what would have happened if we hadn't gotten them out of there."
Elizabeth closed her eyes, both saddened and angered. "Bastards. As if she hadn't been through enough already." She rolled smoothly off his back and lay beside him on the bed.
"At least it's over now," replied Rodney, trying to comfort her.
She shook her head at his naiveté. "It's only just begun."
TBC