SCLAIMER: I don't own any Atlantis character although I wouldn't mind renting a couple of them.
Authors note: Thanks for the encouraging reviews! About the time I think no one is reading why finish – I get a review. Sorry this chapter took so long. I've been working two jobs and trying to keep up with All Good Things happening with A DOG'S BREAKFAST.
A/N: LAST NIGHT WAS THE SCREENING FOR A DOG'S BREAKFAST IN LA. GOT MY FINGERS CROSSED THAT IT WENT WELL FOR DAVID AND THAT A SWEET DISTRIBUTION DEAL IS IN THE OFFING.
CHAPTER 12 HEALING
Later that night when most everyone was asleep, Kilaran made her way back to the infirmary with Myr and their taciturn escort to start the arduous healing of Parker's spine. They entered the quiet room and waited for Dr. Beckett to wave them into his office.
"Dr. Beckett, I would like to start on Parker tonight. It's easier for me to do intense healing when the ambient field is quiet like now with most everyone asleep. It's less distracting."
"As long as it won't disturb my other patients I don't have a problem." Carson replied leading them back to Parker's bed.
"I was hopin' you'd show up tonight." Parker greeted Kilaran with a mixture of hope and desperation.
"You might not be so happy at the end of our session. Most healing can be done without pain, but reconnecting nerves is painful. We'll get through the worst of it tonight, but it will take another session or two to completely heal you."
"As long as I can walk again when we're finished, I'll take the pain." Parker responded grimly.
She turned to Carson. "Can you give him anything to dull the pain while leaving him awake?"
"It'll be that bad?" When she nodded he went to a medicine cabinet and came back with a shot and slid the injection into Parker's I.V. "That should help anymore and he'll be asleep."
Kilaran pulled the chair close to the bed. "It'll be easier if he is on flat on his stomach." Myr leaned forward and Parker levitated off the bed and slowly rolled over. Carson started in surprise then hurriedly lowered the head of the bed so it was completely flat while Myr gently lowered Parker back down. Ki took a deep breath laid her hands on the small of his back.
She sent her awareness down into him seeing muscle and tissue, blood and bone. She followed the sense of wrongness to the section of his back where the nerves and spinal cord had been damaged. She focused down into the cord delving into the deepest part of the damage. There she began directing energy and instruction showing the damaged tissue how it should look, encouraging it to regenerate. As it began to heal she moved outwards to the next level repeating the process level by level until the spinal cord was whole once again. Then she began on the nervous system.
Those watching saw only a glow surrounding her hands and spreading across his back and hips. For the next thirty minutes Parker lay quietly and still while Dr. Beckett and the nurses watched his spinal cord regenerate on the scanner Dr. Beckett had set up. They saw the glow of her healing power gravitate toward the severed nerves. Within seconds they saw Parker's hands bunch into the sheets and heard a low groan.
She began tapping into his energy and funneling it into the healing process. As the first nerves regenerated and feeling began to return Parker began to moan and twitch. Myr laid a hand on his shoulder using her ability to keep him still so that Ki didn't have to divert energy to keep him from harming himself or her. Before long sweat coated both Ki and Parker and even through the drugs Carson had given him tears streamed down his face and sounds of agony ripped from his throat. A few more minutes and the glow faded and Ki slumped backwards into the chair shaking like a leaf in a high wind. "Enough. Neither one of us can take any more tonight. Dr. Beckett, if you could give him something to help him sleep. I don't have even that much left." Her teeth chattered and she hugged herself tightly against the pervasive chill of exhaustion.
"Sure, lass." Carson motioned to the night nurse who hurried over and handed him a sedative that he injected into the I.V. port. Carson divided his attention between Parker, who was already drifting off, and Kilaran whose shakes were getting worse. The same nurse had brought a blanket over and tucked it around Kilaran, but it didn't seem to be helping much. "Now we need to take care of you. What exactly do you need besides rest?"
"We'll take care of her." Chaz stated firmly as he and Teesa approached the group. "You should have stopped her sooner." He glared disapprovingly at Myr.
Myr tilted her chin defiantly. "She knows her limits."
"Not when she's that deep. Look at her!" Chaz snarled. "She's at the brink of attrition. All because she's trying to…"
"Enough! She is right here and capable of making her own decisions unless something has changed in the kitar that I haven't been made aware of." She faced Chaz down, eyes snapping, cheeks flushed.
"No." Chaz lowered his gaze slightly before raising it again to hers. "We are just worried at how hard you are pushing yourself. You haven't been fully recovered for days now. We have no Borq, no reserves, and what do we do when Need hits."
Chaz!
Chaz paled. Sorry, I didn't mean to say that out loud. He ran a hand through his hair and turned away in frustration.
"What's this?" Carson asked puzzled. "Borq? Need?"
Teesa stepped forward flicking a glance at Dr. Beckett ignoring his question. "We need to get Ki some food and get her into bed. We can deal with the rest later. We will be able to get a meal this late?"
"Aye, there is always something available in the cafeteria since we run continuous shifts." Carson said cautiously looking over at the marine escort who nodded and spoke quietly into his earpiece.
"Someone will meet us at her room with a tray to save time." The marine rumbled.
"Thank you." Teesa replied gravely as she helped Myr get Ki to her feet and moving. She glanced at the marine. "How upset would you get if we ported to her room? I don't think she'll make the walk."
The marine eyed the slender woman who trembled and shook and couldn't seem to stop her teeth from chattering and then swung his gaze over to Parker. "She's making Parker walk again. Do what's best for her. Just take me with you."
Teesa nodded and Chaz touched the marine's arm and they all disappeared from the infirmary. As soon as they appeared in her room Chaz herded the marine out into the hallway to wait for the food while Myr and Teesa got Kilaran settled on the sofa. She had just started to drift off when the door chimed open and the marine came in with a tray loaded with food.
She ate mechanically because she knew how dangerously low her energy levels were. She couldn't afford to go into attrition not without a supply Borq to replenish her levels and unwilling to admit yet that they could draw energy from others to replenish themselves. No, that was too similar to the Wraith to the uninformed. She had seen fear cross to many faces to risk it here.
She slept the entire next day waking only twice briefly to eat before going back to sleep. Her kitar refused to let anyone in to disturb her not even Dr. McKay. Dr. Beckett stopped by to tell her about Parker's progress. He still couldn't walk, but could twitch his toes now and had some tingling in his legs which was a very good sign. They promised to let her know when she woke up.
It was 3 a.m. when she finally woke up. Hungry, starving actually, and fairly steady on her feet even though her energy levels were still not fully recovered so they went to the cafeteria with their escort, grabbed some sandwiches and hot chocolate and sat at a table on a small balcony looking out over one of the piers. They were almost through eating when several people came wandering into the cafeteria. They were laughing and talking until they saw the Eluians and then they got real quiet whispering amongst themselves as they took seats at a table not too far away from Ki's table.
Finally, one of them yelled brazenly, "Hey, you the people that want us to agree to stud service?"
Ki and her group froze in surprise and then Chaz turned in his seat and replied mildly. "Our ruler did ask if your people would be willing to help save our race."
"Heard he did more than 'ask'." Someone else retorted.
"I am not sure that Dr. Weir wishes this to be discussed at the moment." Kilaran responded in a tone meant to end the conversation. The four of them turned their attention back to their plates.
"Well, we want to discuss it," came the belligerent response.
"I'd service you." The others sniggered at the brashness of their companion.
"We should leave." Kilaran said when it became apparent that the technicians were spoiling for an altercation and noticed the relief in their escort as they stood and gathered their plates to leave.
As they passed by the table the brash one leaped to his feet blocking Kilaran's path. "What? I'm not good enough for you? Brood mares don't get to pick and choose."
"That's enough, Kale!" their escort snarled.
"I'm not searching at the moment and if I were, I'd choose someone with better manners." Kilaran stated icily and went to side step past him.
Her kitar ranged behind her watching closely, but not interfering until he reached out and grabbed her arm yanking her against him as the rest of his group gained their feet preparing for trouble. Then her kitar reacted to ensure her safety which was after all their number one directive. With one collective mental push they sent the entire group sailing across the room and into the far wall where they hit hard and slid down into a crumpled heap.
They heard a click and turned to see their escort training his weapon on them. Chaz held his hands up palms out unwilling to alienate their new friends by showing just how ludicrous pointing a projectile weapon at them was. Really, they could port away, port his weapon somewhere, or toss him as easily as they had tossed the others. "There is no need for that. We were only defending Ki."
"Understand that, but I need to let Colonel Sheppard decide where to go from here." The marine stated as he clicked his earpiece and called for Sheppard. He quietly relayed the situation when he was acknowledged his eyes never leaving the Eluians. "Yes, sir. We'll wait right here for you. Yes, sir."
Kilaran sighed and sat down. Considering they couldn't go home she would prefer to have these people feel comfortable around them. If that meant letting them think they could contain them, then so be it. The rest followed her example. Meanwhile a couple of the hardier men had shook off the effects of hitting the wall and were on their feet. Seeing the Eluians sitting with their backs to them they grinned at each other and rushed them.
They had almost reached them when there was a roar and Ronon barreled into them from the side knocking them both over into tables and chairs. Chaz and Myr leaped to their feet turning to see what was happening behind them. Seeing Ronan struggling to free himself from the two men they extended their abilities and held the two immobile until Ronon was on his feet and had backed away with a feral grin.
"Henson, what is going on here?" snapped Sheppard looking every bit the commanding officer of Atlantis as he glared at his men all his customary lazy charm gone. McKay was standing next to Sheppard looking livid and barely contained. Two marines were getting the rest of the group over by the wall up and corralled.
Their escort's name was apparently Henson since he answered the question. "Kilaran and her team came to get something to eat and were minding their own business when that group," he indicated the crumpled bodies disgustedly, "came in and started being belligerent and insulting Ki here."
Ki sat, outwardly calm, legs stretched out in front her crossed at the ankles while Henson went on explaining. "When she tried to leave that one," he pointed to Kale, "tried to stop her by grabbing her arm." McKay sucked in a breath, but was cut off before he could say anything by a glare from Sheppard. "Next thing I know bodies are flying through the air and hitting walls even though no one had touched them. I thought I should call you seeing as, nice as you all seem," he said to Ki," they are still strangers."
"What exactly did they say?" McKay asked curtly, curious as to what could cause the Eluians to react with such force.
"It does not matter." Kilaran muttered, crossing her arms and flushing at the thought of Rodney hearing what the man had said to her.
At her reaction, McKay strode over and knelt beside her. "What…did…they…say?" He asked impatiently.
Her eyes met his and skittered away "Nothing." She stood up quickly. He followed her up lightly grasping her arm.
"I wouldn't…" warned Henson then broke off puzzled when her kitar did nothing.
"Ki?" McKay's voice softened with concern.
She turned quickly to Sheppard avoiding McKay's eyes as his concern rolled over her. "If we're done here, I need to go finish up with Parker."
With a growl of frustration, McKay dragged her out onto the balcony and grasped both arms. "Tell me."
"I'm tired, Rodney."
He crossed his arms unyielding and stared at her silently demanding an answer.
She stared out over the ocean. He offered to…service…me since that is what my people were asking yours for. He called me a 'brood mare'?
"He what?!" McKay yelled outraged. "He called you a…" Furious indignation colored his voice as he whipped around and headed back inside.
"Please! Not here." She begged him, grabbing his arm and letting him feel her embarrassment.
He stared at her, eyes narrowed and agitated. "Which one?"
Kilaran clenched her jaw and refused to answer him.
He shook her off and strode into the room. "Which one?" He snapped at her kitar in a tone that brooked no argument and begged someone to defy him.
"That one." Myr said smugly, pointing at the young tech that had insulted her leader.
McKay swiveled to see which one Myr was pointing at. Outrage flashed in his eyes and he stalked over to where the young man was rubbing the back of his head while leaning against the wall. Without warning, McKay reared back and swung a right hook to his jaw. The man's head smacked against the wall and once again he slid down to the floor then McKay stormed back over to Kilaran. "Now, we can go see Parker."
They walked to the infirmary in silence, Kilaran too embarrassed, upset, and angry about the whole thing to speak and McKay angry and nursing his hand which hurt and her kitar knowingly staying below her radar and privately applauding McKay's actions.
Parker spotted them as soon as they entered the infirmary. "There she is, Ang. Told ya she'd be back ta finish fixin' me up." He grinned broadly and waved at them.
Kilaran smiled softly putting her upset aside for the moment. "Didn't think I'd forget, did you?"
Ang stood up from where she had been seated next to the bed. "I wanted to thank you and apologize for the other night.'
"No need. If you had never seen a Healer, you couldn't be expected to just believe without proof."
"You'll finish tonight?"
"Yes. It may still be a day or two before he can walk normally and without pain, but I will finish tonight." She pulled the chair close to the bed and sat down while Carson injected pain killers into the I.V. "As soon as the medication takes effect I'll begin."
Chaz and Teesa levitated him and flipped him over onto his stomach smirking slightly at Ang's astonished gasp at their display of power. Ki extended her right hand over his back and concentrated on his level of awareness until she felt him relax and begin to drift then she lowered her hand to his back and placed her left next to it.
Again a glow expanded out from her hands and encompassed his lower back. She reached for the damaged nerves and sent healing energy to them reminding them of how they should be and encouraging them to re-grow and reconnect. And as before as the nerves began to regenerate pain began streaking through his body. Her own body arched as she absorbed a portion of the pain to make it bearable for him.
Her world narrowed to her and him. All that mattered was making sure every nerve regenerated; that he was made whole again. She felt the energy pour from her into him and needing more reached as she had the night before and drew energy from him and still it wasn't going to be enough. Nerve reparation was almost the most demanding things to do as a Healer. Teesa even her mental voice was faint with exhaustion, but it was heard and a second later she felt Teesa touch her shoulder and energy flooded into her.
"Done." She whispered faintly, sagging bonelessly into the chair and slipping into unconsciousness unaware of Parker weeping from the pain or Ang begging Dr. Beckett to make her stop and to help him.
