Carson was back on Hoff, standing in the middle of the suddenly brilliantly

bright hospital. He could hear the voices crying out around him, smell the

sharp, bitter scent of medicine mixed with death. Taste it, too. Carson

looked frantically around for Perna. He had to find her, had to save her

before - before -

Finally, he found her, knelt by her bed. Watched helplessly as she drew

her last breath, grew still.

The hospital was dissolving into white mist all around him. Dimly, Carson heard a voice calling his name. It sounded oddly like Rodney's. Carson followed the voice, clung to it for dear life...

"Carson? Carson, can you hear me?"

Beckett opened his eyes slowly. "Dr. Weir?"

The world swam slowly into focus, to reveal the ceiling of the infirmary, and a very concerned-looking Dr. Weir.

"Carson!" The relief in Weir's voice was obvious. "Dr. Leonard, he's awake."

Beckett turned his head as the young and overly eager Dr. Leonard bustled over to the bed. "Dr. Beckett? How are you feeling?"

Beckett glared at the young man. "I've got a bloody beetle imbeded in my neck. How the hell d'ya think I feel?"

He wasn't sure who looked more alarmed, Dr. Leonard - or Dr. Weir.

"A beetle?" she asked uncertainly.

Beckett reached back, felt the lump on the back of his neck. "Aye. And I think I'd rather like it out. Where's Rodney?"

"He went to look over Ancient texts, see if he could find something useful."

Beckett turned to look on his other side. Major Sheppard, slouched in a chair beside the bed, threw him a lopsided grin. "When the doctor's in the hospital, that's not a good sign," he quipped, making Beckett chuckle.

"Nothing throws you, does it?" he asked.

Sheppard frowned. "Finding a friend unconscious does," he said quietly. "Especially when that friend stays unconscious for five hours."

Beckett winced. He'd been out for five hours? Not a good sign. "Has Rodney found out anything yet?"

Sheppard shook his head. "Not that he's reported, anyway. Which reminds me - he asked me to contact him if your condition changed. I think he'll be glad to know you're awake." The Major stood, and left the infirmary.

Beckett watched him leave. Rodney wanted to know how he was doing? Beckett's strange - dream? vision? - suddenly came back to him. He could still hear Rodney's voice, calling out his name. Strangely enough, he found the other man's concern comforting.

"Dr. Beckett? What happened, exactly?"

Beckett sighed, and turned to Weir. "Well, Rodney gave me this box to take a peek at..."


McKay sat back and closed his eyes, pressing his index finger and thumb against the bridge of his nose. He had been searching the Ancient's texts for hours, and found nothing useful. His eyes hurt, he was dead tired, and he had the feeling that if he didn't eat soon, he'd probably end up passed out from hypo-glycemia. Not that any of it mattered. McKay would have sooner faced death himself than give Beckett up to it.

McKay gave a deep, determined sigh, then turnd back to the console, not even looking up when he heard the elevator open.

"McKay, found anything yet?"

"Obviously not, or I would have told you." McKay snapped at Major Sheppard, before sighing. "Sorry. No, nothing yet."

"Beckett's woken up. He's asking for you."

The words took a few seconds to sink into McKay's sluggish brain. He glanced up at the Major sharply. "He's awake?"
"Yup. Seems okay, except he said something about having a beetle embedded in his - hey!"

McKay barrelled past Sheppard, almost knocking the Major over, and skidded to a stop just inside the elevator. He slapped the control panel, and found himself just outside the infirmary. He could hear voices inside, one obviously Beckett's, and one possibly Dr. Weir's. Taking a deep breath, McKay strode into the infirmary, trying his best to seem casual, knowing that he wasn't quite pulling it off. "Hey."

Beckett and Dr. Weir both looked up. Beckett grinned for a moment, "Hey, Rod-" then frowned. "When was the last time you slept?"

Rodney blinked. "Uh, last night?"

"Seeing as how it's morning now, I highly doubt that," commented Sheppard, striding into the infirmary.

Rodney flushed slightly. "Thanks," he said sarcastically.

Sheppard just grinned. "Welcome."

Beckett's eyes narrowed. "And the last time you ate?"

McKay sighed. Trust Beckett to still play the doctor even as a patient. "Supper, last night. I've been busy, looking through those texts."

"Rodney," Beckett said seriously. "I appreciate you wanting to help me, I really do, but if you don't get some food and sleep, you're going to be in the bed beside me by tonight. Eat, then get some sleep."

Rodney opened his mouth to argue, then thought better of it, and nodded. He had half a mind to ignore Beckett's orders, and head straight back down to the research lab.

"Nurse Wickson, would you make sure Rodney does as he's told?"

McKay blinked in surprise. "Gee, thanks for the show of confidence," he grumbled, less out of anger than of embarrassement at being figured out so easily.
Beckett's grin was wicked. "Well," he said casually, "can't have you fainting again, can we?"

McKay glared at him. "I passed out from manly hunger," he protested weakly.

"Right. Food, sleep - now."

McKay sighed, and allowed himself to be shepherded out of the infirmary by the nurse. He would probably think better after food and sleep, anyway.

Beckett watched McKay leave, chuckling softly as the physicist continued to protest down the hallway. Despite Rodney's usual show of sarcasm, Beckett knew he was concerned.

Probably beating himself up because he gave you the box.

Beckett shook his head. He would have to make sure, when he told McKay what happened, to find a way to subtly emphasize the fact that it wasn't his fault, otherwise McKay would probably kill himself trying to help.

Right now, though - right now, Beckett was going to follow his own advice. Food, and some sleep.

"Dr. Leonard?"

"Yes, Dr. Beckett?"

"Be a good lad, and get me food. Anything other than military rations."


Author's Note: ZedPM to the person who can figure out the slight Star Trek reference in this chap. Post answers with your review See ya next time! (By the way, anyone know if Rod's diabetic?) (Yes, I did say Zed - Go Canadians! )