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OK Time for a short break from the machines & the hypogycemia. Sorry Rodney but in this one you're gonna bleed...

Wounded Hero.

"This is yet another complete and utterly colossal waste of time," Rodney complained.

"Well you were the one that wanted to check out the facility," John said. "Even Radek..."

"Don't bring Zalenka into this."

"You don't want to hear him gloat do you," Ronon said.

"Look. How was I supposed to know that the zed p m was fried and that you couldn't park closer than a moonshot from the place ?"

"It is only about five miles," Teyla pointed out.

"Uphill...Through jungle..."

"Forest," John said.

"Same difference," Rodney replied letting go of a branch that Ronon had moved aside for him.

With a sudden swish the branch whipped behind him. There was sickening thud and Rodney turned suddenly as Teyla fell. The branch had caught her on the right temple and she dropped to the ground, unconscious.

"Oh my God," Rodney said wide-eyed. "Teyla !"

John and Ronon pushed past him to get to her side. "Rodney," John said.

"I'm sorry," Rodney was saying. "I didn't realize that it would fly back like that. Is she OK ?"

John had knelt down next to her. "She's out cold, Rodney," he said checking her eyes.

Rodney looked nervously at Ronon who was looking murderous. "I'm sorry," he stammered. "It was an accident..."

John pointed up ahead of them. "There's a cave up there," he said. "Let's get her into some shelter."

Ronon picked Teyla up without a word and started walking up the slope.

"I'm sorry," Rodney said again.

"I know," John said patting him on the arm as he passed.

Ronon carefully laid Teyla down inside the cave. Rodney took off his tac vest, put his laptop aside, and slipped the vest underneath Teyla's head as a makeshift pillow. He pulled a blanket from the pack and gently covered her.

Ronon just watched in silence.

John slapped Ronon lightly on the arm. "Look," he said. "They're not expecting us back at Atlantis until tomorrow and I'd rather not eat MREs so what say we go and kill something, apart from Rodney."

Ronon turned and walked out of the cave.

John looked at Rodney who was kneeling by Teyla with a cloth and water bottle in his hand. "He'll be OK," John said. "And so will Teyla." He followed Ronon outside as Rodney poured water on the cloth and placed it on Teyla's forehead.

Rodney sat watching Teyla breathe. "Well done, genius," he thought. "Whack your team mate with a stick. How intelligent is that ?"

Teyla started to stir slightly. "Thank God," Rodney said quietly. "Easy," he said putting his hand gently on her shoulder.

As he sat quietly waiting for the others to return Rodney was suddenly aware of a strange noise coming from the back of the cave. He turned slowly and peered into the shadows.

The deep growl got louder as the large cougar-like animal stealthily stepped forward watching him intently.

"Oh no no no no no," Rodney said facing the animal. He was in a sitting position between Teyla and the cat and he got to a crouch. "Nice kitty..." he said fumbling for his sidearm with his right hand and reaching forward with his left.

The cat stepped slowly forward, it's amber eyes unblinking as it stared at him.

Rodney freed his gun from it's holster and pointed it at the animal but his shaking got the better of him and his shot missed by several inches as the big cat pounced.

Several yards away, walking through the trees, both John and Ronon froze in place as they heard the shot. Dropping the rabbits that they'd caught they ran towards the cave.

oOo

Without any time to take another shot Rodney dropped the gun and threw himself across Teyla covering her with his body. Although he tried not to he cried out in pain as the animal landed on his back driving the breath from him. Everything became a blur of pain and blood as the animal sank it's teeth into Rodney's left shoulder and raked him with it's claws. He was rapidly losing consciousness and was only vaguely aware of the flash from Ronon's blaster and the noise of John's P90.

"Ah..." Rodney said as John touched him lightly on his right shoulder.

"Rodney ?" John said moving him slightly so that Teyla, who had regained consciousness, could slip out from under him.

Rodney winced in pain. Blood was streaming down the right side of his face from a deep cut by his eye. His shirt was sliced in several places and there were deep cuts across his back and arm where the cat's claws had dug in. Blood was soaking into his shirt from the bite wound. "Teyla ?" he said weakly.

"She's fine, Rodney," John said getting bandages out of his pockets. "Thanks to you the cat didn't get to her."

Ronon stood looking down at the ground. "The tracks were there," he said. "But I was too angry to check. "He looked across at Teyla who was getting more bandages and water from the pack. She stood up facing him. She was covered in blood. Rodney's blood.

"There is nothing to be gained by standing there feeling guilt about what has happened," Teyla said. "I suggest that you build a fire. It will be dark soon."

Ronon nodded and left to gather firewood.

Teyla passed another bandage to John. "What happened ?" she asked. "I was watching the sunset and then..."

John looked up briefly and then continued doing what he could to staunch the flow of blood from the wound on Rodney's shoulder. "You were hit by a branch that Rodney let go of," John said. "Knocked you cold. We brought you up to this cave. I guess we forgot to check for previous occupants," he added glancing at the body of the giant cat.

"He put himself between me and the animal," Teyla said.

"Yeah," John said as he wrapped a bandage around Rodney's arm. "Now we've got to keep him alive until it's light enough to travel to the jumper."

"Perhaps one of us could walk ahead and radio for Carson ?"

"As a last resort," John said. "The terrain is treacherous at night, there are probably more of those cats around and," he looked up at her as he covered Rodney with the blanket. "As badly as this mission has gone so far I'm reluctant to split us up. Bad Karma."

Teyla looked at him with a puzzled expression but before she could ask Ronon returned with an armful of firewood. "There are lots of cat tracks out there and I could hear 'em," he said. "Looks like they come out after dark. It's getting too dangerous to travel."

"Looks like we're here for the night," John said as Ronon started a fire.

oOo

John sat by the fire quietly eating a power bar as Ronon sat next to him and Teyla sat behind them next to Rodney.

"I was so angry," Ronon said. "I didn't do the basic checks. It was stupid," he said punching a nearby tree. "They could've both been killed."

"We both missed it," John said. "Checking out an area before you leave your wounded there is kinda basic." He got up and moved back to Teyla. "How is he ?" he asked.

"He is very weak," she said. "He has lost a lot of blood. Also I fear that he is starting to run a fever."

"Crap !" John said. "Just a few more hours, Rodney," he said quietly. "Just until morning." He placed his hand briefly on Rodney's shoulder. "If you need a break, Teyla, I'll keep watch for a while."

"I am fine, John," Teyla said moving her hair away from the welt above her eye. Dried blood covered the front of her uniform.

"You don't look fine," John pointed out.

Teyla looked serious. "He gave his blood to protect me," she said. "I will not leave his side."

oOo

It was a long night. Neither Teyla or Ronon spoke and Rodney was unconscious. None of them even thought about sleeping. The cats stayed away from the fire that Ronon had built in the entrance although they could hear them in the distance.

John sat by the fire opposite Ronon and watched as the sun started to rise. "As soon as it gets light," he thought. "We can go home." He got up and moved over to where the pack lay. Pulling out the canvas stretcher he then picked up Rodney's laptop and sidearm and slipped them inside. "We just need a couple of poles for the stretcher," he said. "And then we can get out of here. Frankly I've had enough of this place."

"Right," Ronon said getting up and going out into the forest.

It wasn't quite daylight yet but John wasn't concerned about Ronon. The mood that he was in the cats had better watch out however.

oOo

"Offworld activation," Chuck said. "Major Sheppard's IDC."

"Drop the shield," Elizabeth said routinely.

"He's requesting that Doctor Beckett meet them in the gateroom."

Elizabeth nodded looking worried.

Carson entered the gateroom and met them as the jumper emerged from the event horizon and landed. John opened the back door and Carson ran inside. "Oh my God," he said. "Rodney ? Teyla ?" He tapped his radio as he checked Rodney who was on the stretcher on the seat in the back of the jumper. "I need a gurney, stat !" he said. "Are you OK ?" he said glancing at Teyla.

"It is not my blood, Doctor," Teyla replied.

"What happened ? Was he attacked by an animal ?"

"Something like that," John said as a couple of medics wheeled a gurney into the back of the jumper.

"Put the stretcher on the gurney," Carson said. "I need to get him to the Infirmary. You too," he said pointing towards Teyla.

"I am fine Doctor Beckett. Please attend to Doctor McKay."

"I will lassie," Carson said heading towards the Infirmary. "But I want a nurse to check you out."

"I'll make sure she gets there," John said looking up at Elizabeth who was watching from the top of the stairs. He nodded in her direction acknowledging that he would be right there to meet with her.

Ronon watched Carson leave and then turned and walked out of the gateroom without saying a word.

"Ronon !" John said.

"I will go after him," Teyla said walking away.

"Teyla !"

"And then I will see Doctor Beckett," she called back.

John found himself standing alone in front of the gate as a marine came forward to park the jumper. With a sigh he climbed the stairs to meet with Elizabeth.

oOo

A few days later Rodney was sitting up in the Infirmary bed talking with John and Teyla. He was heavily bandaged from his waist to his shoulders and an IV dripped slowly into his left hand. He had pillows wedged behind him and was concentrating on not leaning back.

"I am so sorry," he was saying. "I wasn't thinking..."

"Rodney," Teyla said gently. "You saved my life. You have nothing to be sorry for."

"If I hadn't whacked you with that stick we wouldn't have been in that cave in the first place."

"It was an accident, Rodney," John said. "Even geniuses can have blonde moments. Present company excluded," he said smiling at a blonde haired nurse who was walking past.

"Hum. That doesn't make me feel much better about it."

"What about me ?" John said. "I left you two alone in a cave with a giant cougar. You're not the only one who feels like crap right now."

"Yeah. I'm sorry too."

"Ronon.." Rodney said smiling as the Satedan walked up to the side of the bed.

"No one has anything to apologize for," Teyla said. "Mistakes are to learn from."

"Well then I guess Rodney's not the only genius around here," John said.

oOo

There we go. Doctor McKay, astrophysicist and hero ;)
Although I grant that Teyla probably wouldn't have been caught out like that I do recall in the series that Ronon was floored (by Teyla) when he wasn't expecting it so I figure it could be that she wasn't paying attention (little dramatic license ??)

Hope you enjoyed it and as always love some reviews :D

Debbie