A/N Extra Disclaimer - unfortunately Lt Reed's first name doesn't belong to me.
Hope you're all enjoying it so far!
The waiting was the hard part. When Jessica wasn't helping the injured people or giving instructions to the people she deemed the nurses, which was only a couple of hours twice a day, they were stuck in the cell with nothing to fill in the time. The young girl who supplied the water and cloths on the first day had been bringing them two meals a day to share between them. It wasn't much, but enough to sustain them. But for the most part they just sat and talked.
"What's your name?" Jessica asked, breaking the silence.
Reed looked over surprised, "What?"
"Well I've learnt you're two years older than me, from Seattle, you've got a sister and you don't like fish. But I still don't actually know what your name is."
Reed looked suddenly awkward, "Oh, well, it's Malcolm."
Jessica burst into laughter, "You're kidding? You're Lieutenant Malcolm Reed?"
"Yeah I get that reaction a lot," He replied, his face a little red, "and I'll have you know, I came first. I was around before Enterprise."
Nodding Jessica tried to catch her breath, wondering if she was finally losing it from being cooped up, "Yes, yes, you were around first, cause you're old."
Reed gave her a little shove and she burst out laughing again in between muttering about sensitive old men.
"Your turn then. Tell me something I don't know about you. How do you know the Major?"
Jessica's laughter subsided as she sat back up, "Hmm, well, that..." She chuckled again remembering the night she first met him at the local bar, completely drunk off his face, hanging off her brother because he couldn't keep himself upright. So different to the steady, by the book, second in command he was now. "He, ah, was on my brother's team."
"Right, so, don't introduce him to my sister then..."
They burst into laughter again but it was quickly cut short by the door flinging open. Muddy Boots stormed in, lacking the guards he normally had, demanding that she come with him straight away.
"Why? What happened?" She jumped to her feet.
Hurriedly he unlocked the bars, "Something is wrong. He cannot breath."
Immediately all business Jessica ran behind him, briefly noticing only one guard was stationed at the door this time. She followed him through the labyrinth of corridors until they entered what Jessica had come to call her infirmary. The patient was obvious, with the people running around him, unsure of how to help. Jessica ran to his side, immediately taking in the blue tinge around his mouth and rapid breathing. She shouted for a stethoscope, holding her hand out waiting for someone to pass her one. Her eyes never left the patient, his brown eyes fixed back on her, sweat dripping down his pale skin.
A stethoscope was placed in her hand and she immediately started listening to the chest. The right side sounded fine, but when she moved to the left side the sounds of breathing were decreased. Habitually she threw the stethoscope around her neck as she leaned forward, placing her hand on his chest and knocking on the back of it.
The infirmary had fallen quiet, watching her intensely, and she was grateful for it. It made listening to the chest sounds easier. She tapped over the left side. It sounded hollow, almost drum like.
"I need alcohol, and a needle with catheter." She demanded loudly.
One of the woman handed the instruments over before moving back out of the way. Jessica nodded her thanks, taking a breath as she felt out the second and third rib. Quickly wiping the alcohol over the area she positioned the needle above the third rib. Slowly pushing it in she felt the pop as it came through the muscle into the chest cavity. Leaving the catheter she pulled the needle out, hearing the small rush of air that came with it and breathing her own sigh of relief.
The blue tinge on the man's face started to fade and his breathing was less laboured. Pulling the stethoscope from her neck she listened to his chest again, pleased to hear the sound of the lung expanding more normally.
Turning Jessica explained what had happened and what she did to those watching her as well as the care he now needed from them. She felt suddenly exhausted as the adrenaline drained out of her system and the day caught up to her. She just wanted to lie down and have a nap now that all the excitement was over.
Muddy Boots nodded his thanks to her before motioning for someone to take her back to the cell. She wasn't one to complain. She wanted to try and get some shut eye before she had to come back. Plus, she'd discovered Reed made a comfy pillow. To her, that sounded like a good plan.
Major Evan Lorne sat in the empty Mess hall. It's was almost midnight. Lantea's moon shone brightly through the windows as he stared out at the ocean. He leaned back, his feet on a chair opposite him, a beer in his hand. A week and counting. He was frustrated, irritated, even angry. They had nothing, zilch, zero, naught, and it was driving him crazy.
Absently he twirled the bottle in his hand before taking a swig. Not only was he worried about Reed and Jessica, if he was honest with himself, he missed her, more than he thought he should. Seeing her smile when she was joking in the mess hall, her concentration when she was buried in her work. He even missed her talking back to him because at least it meant she was here, near him.
He hated how cliche it was. Having someone disappear before realizing how you felt about them. But that wasn't entirely accurate. He had always known how he felt about her, right back at the start. He'd felt something the first time they met. Her eyes twinkling at him, her smile beaming as she laughed at him. It was then that something had tightened in his chest. But she wasn't interested, not in a relationship. So he'd just let himself go along for the ride because at least then they were close. Then of course because he hadn't said anything, hadn't wanted to ruin what they had, she'd gone and shacked up with some other guy, a guy he didn't even like. She had seemed so happy that Lorne had just let himself sink into the background and grew away from her. The last thing he expected was to literally run into her in Atlantis. He thought, hoped, maybe they could start something again but she hadn't wanted anything to do with him. So he let it go, again. Now she had vanished, seemingly without a trace and right now, there wasn't a dammed thing he could do about it.
He slammed the empty bottle back on the table, angry at the thoughts invading his mind but unable to stop them. A body dropped into the seat across the table. Two more beers appearing on the table.
"Not a good night for sleeping apparently, sir." Coughlin commented, popping the tops on the beers and handing one to his superior.
Lorne nodded his thanks, not wanting to talk but not thoughtless enough to tell Coughlin to leave him alone. It was his team members out there too.
"We'll get them back, sir. No one's going to be giving up."
"So people keep saying." It came out harsher than Lorne had intended.
Coughlin kept his face carefully blank, staring out the windows. It was such a change seeing his normally unflappable Major turn into this, he wasn't sure how to describe him except moody and irritated. "It's okay to be worried about her, sir."
Lorne took another mouthful, he hadn't missed Coughlin saying her rather than them.
"The Doc ain't trained for this. Reed is, he can handle himself." Coughlin elaborated.
The Major almost snorted, "Don't let her hear you say that, Coughlin. You'd be surprised at what she can handle."
Coughlin's eyes flicked to Lorne briefly before staring back at the moon, "You've known her quite a while." It was more a statement than a question.
"We," He hesitated briefly before finishing, "We ran into each other a few times at the SGC."
Momentarily Coughlin wondered if his CO thought he was stupid. It was quite obvious she wasn't just someone he ran into. In the end he just took another swig and dropped the subject. They sat in a reserved silence until the beers had been drunk.
Coughlin gathered up the empties and as he was leaving, gave the Major's shoulder a squeeze, "Get some sleep, sir."
Lorne merely responded with a "You too, Coughlin." Knowing full well sleep wouldn't be coming tonight.
A week and a half had gone by and Jessica collapsed back into the cell. The last patient had left her infirmary that morning and she was exhausted. Reed gently put an arm around her and she rested her head on his shoulder. She was sure if he wasn't here she would of lost it days ago.
"They're all gone." She smiled, talking quietly, "The infirmary's empty. Now we see if they keep to their end of the bargain."
She was a little concerned they wouldn't be allowed to go despite the fact there was no one left to treat. Combined with the fact there had been no rescue or contact from Atlantis she wondered if they'd ever get out. Jessica tried to remain hopeful though, because if she didn't then it would be a downward spiral. Lifting her head as the door clanged open, she smiled at the sight of food.
The young girl unlocked the bars and handed them the single tray with two small cups of water and a plate of food. Less than normal.
"Can you get the guy in charge in here? We want to talk to him." Reed asked.
The girl cocked her head to the side, "Guy in charge?"
"The leader. Commander? Uh, the one with muddy boots?" Jessica tried to clarify.
"Ah yes, Suvaner Massi." She nodded, "I shall see if he can come."
Backing out of the cell she locked the bars again and trotted out the door. Reed raised his eyebrows at Jessica as he took a drink.
"The one with muddy boots?"
Jessica shrugged in response, "He's always got muddy boots."
With a chuckle Reed passed the plate of food to her. Finishing her drink she used her cup to scoop up of the brown slop and handed the plate back.
"It would be nice if they gave us cutlery." She commented blandly.
The door opened again and the leader walked in, followed by his usual two guards. The guards pointed their weapons towards the pair as he stopped in front of the bars and raised an eyebrow.
Jessica and Reed both got to their feet, holding his gaze.
"The deal was I help your people, you let us go."
A smirk pulled the corner of his mouth up, "There has been a change of plans. You are far too useful to let go."
Clamping down on the anger now boiling inside her, she curtly replied, "Fine. You let him go. I will stay. He's not useful to you."
Reed immediately started to protest, there was no way he would be leaving her. Almost growling Jessica sent a look his way, one she normally reserved for the most uncooperative patients and he started to silence, seeing the unspoken words in her eyes.
Muddy Boots seemed to consider it for a moment before nodding to the guards and stepping back. A guard stepped forward, unlocking the bars and motioning for Reed to step out.
Looking reluctant Reed stepped out of the cell, moving to the side so the guard could lock the door behind him. He held his hand behind his back, three fingers out, then two, then one.
Once his hand turned into a fist Jessica jumped forward, grabbing the guard who had locked the cell and yanking him into the bars. At the same time Reed turned to the other guard, forcing the gun up and kicking him right above the knee. The guards leg collapsed under him but his grip remained tight on the gun leaving Reed to try and wrestle it from him.
Jessica spied the guard from outside stepping through the door and shouted a warning while trying to grab the gun from the guard she still had a hand on. Reed spun, seeing the new threat and held his opponent in front of him as the guard fired. Without hesitation Reed pulled the gun from the now dead guard and brought it up to eye level as a shot rang out.
Reed stumbled back, a hand flying to his side. The guard slipped from Jessica's hand as she screamed Reed's name, flinching as the sound of another shot filled the air. Time seemed to stop as Reed slumped down onto the floor. Jessica gripped the bars, vaguely aware of herself screaming.
Muddy boots stepped forward, a small pistol in his hand and a cold calculating look upon his face, "Well, that was foolish. Now he will die, and you will still stay."