Author's Note: It's here, finally!!! Obviously the long long drought between updates indicates a very VERY hectic month for me. Juggling work, school and kids is a lot but I haven't forgotten the story. I got hit with tests in every class plus my physics class has an unholy amount of work. We fall behind and get more work heaped on us. I love it, it's my major, and I could eat, sleep and breathe physics but it doesn't leave time for much else. I think there is going to be one, maybe two more at the most, chapters on this story and then it will be complete. I also hope to have them up in the next week (but no one can sue me if takes a little longer, okay). And the suggested story on the flying lesson is about 3/4's completed as well. So, hang in there and thank you for not sending hate mail for leaving you all hanging for so long!!!

Chapter Five

A Wraith on the Lam

"How is he?" McKay was sitting on his bed next to Major Sheppard, watching Beckett check him over, and trying not to hover and act as anxious as he felt.

Carson turned away from the Major and shook his head. McKay noticed how haggard the doctor looked. His normally gruff appearance had crossed from scruffy to ill kept. McKay fought for control, "Is he going to die?"

"I hope not." Beckett stood, his suit crinkling from the movement. "You should get some rest."

"With a wraith on the loose?" McKay looked like Beckett had just suggested he take a nap with a rattlesnake.

"Good point. Sorry." Beckett seemed at a loss for further encouragement.

"Ford and Teyla will find it." McKay offered confidently, the patient trying to reassure the physician.

"If it doesn't find them first." Beckett muttered.

"There's the positive thinking we all need." McKay grumbled, the sarcasm that had been absent returning. "Doctor, you said you had the cure, maybe you should go work on it. I'll watch over Major Sheppard."

Beckett didn't reply, staring at the wall above Rodney's head. Finally he sat down on the edge of John's cot, "I can't."

"Can't?"

Beckett nodded, miserable, "I need the Wraith's blood."

"It got worse." McKay said, remembering his earlier comment to Ford.

"What?" Beckett asked confused.

"Never mind."

Ford was scrambling through the cold ice-covered walls of the Ancient's outpost. It hadn't appeared to be as large as they were finding it. Teyla scooted behind him and he waved at Stackhouse to continue. They had been systematically sweeping the halls searching every nook and cranny but had so far failed to turn up one extremely pissed-off wraith lab rat.

"Anything?" Telya whispered.

Ford shook his head, visually sweeping the hall ahead of them. This was the last area. There was an unsettling air of apprehension cloaking the group. They knew it was here...they could feel it.

"Lieutenant!" Stackhouse whispered urgently, indicating a shadow falling on the floor.

Ford waved Teyla to his right and Stackhouse came up on his left. He heard the shuffling of others falling in line behind the three leading members. "Be sharp."

He came to the end of the hall. The corridor only went one direction from this point, to the right. The shadow had not moved or flinched but Ford knew the wraith was aware of their presence. It had to be. He pulled one of the stun grenades off his belt and plucked the pin with his teeth, tossing it around and pulling back, trying to minimize his exposure to a retaliatory threat.

The creature surprised them all by waltzing...no, swaggering out from the corner, a wash of smoke billowing around his legs, as the stun grenade exploded uselessly behind the wraith now standing in front of Ford and Teyla. It didn't move towards them, but stood calmly, a sneer firmly planted on it's face.

Ford paused, uncertain. "What...you turning yourself in?"

The wraith held his wrist up purposefully, staring at him the entire time, and depressed a button.

Oh shit. "Get out of here!" He ordered.

A loud hum quickly built in the corridor as they dashed for cover. He was picked off his feet and flung forward, the wall stopping his flight with painful alacrity.

He stayed down seconds after ice chips and other things he'd rather not think of stopped raining down around him. "Is everyone okay?"

"I am...okay." Teyla rolled to her knees brushing something off her shoulder that looked a lot like wraith guts.

"Do they always do that?" He asked stunned.

Teyla leaned over and gave him a hand, "No. Usually they are winning."

"At least we are safe from being the main course at the Ghoul's Day Parade." Ford said.

"Ghoul's Day...?" Teyla didn't finish her sentence. "Never mind." She said instead.

Ford approached what was left of the wraith. A gory lump was all that remained. The smell knocked him back. "Gross." He kicked a piece of machinery that was covered by goop. "What's that?"

Teyla leaned in, thankful for the suit barrier, "It's a communications device."

"Is it on?" Ford asked alarmed.

Teyla nodded.

Ford swore and shot his entire clip into the device, then jogged back, "Stackhouse, we've got a problem!"

There was mumbling floating around his head. Voices that seemed to waver, warp, and reconnect louder than before. Sheppard couldn't keep back the groan. He was so damn hot.

"I think he's waking up."

Sheppard's eyes weren't open but if they had been he would've rolled them. McKay had a knack for stating the obvious. "Who can sleep with all of you talking?" He grouched, still with his eyes closed. Instinctively he knew it would hurt if he opened them.

"You need to wake up Major. We've got a problem." Ford's voice floated in to join McKay's.

"We always have problems Ford. I'd like to work on that." Sheppard sighed. He cracked an eye and grimaced at the lance of pain shooting painfully into his skull.

Ford, McKay, Teyla and Beckett were grouped around his bed although McKay looked like shit. "You look like hell McKay."

McKay gave him a dirty look, "Hello, have you looked in a mirror lately?"

"This is important Major." Ford interrupted before he could shoot a comeback.

Sheppard thought about saying something about how everything was always important then thought better of it. "You caught the wraith, right? Tell me you caught the wraith."

Ford shifted uncomfortably.

"Lieutenant." Sheppard fixed him with a stern look, "I don't want to know...do I?"

"He self-destructed Sir."

"Self-destructed?"

"Yes Sir."

Sheppard paused, "You mean his body...as in...his person?"

"Everywhere Sir."

"Shit."

"Yes Sir."

"I don't feel so good." Sheppard's world was rocked by a strong wave of dizziness. He let his eyes close hoping it would help the world stop spinning.

"Major, what is it?" Beckett stepped forward no longer crinkling with movement, which is when it occurred to John that they were no longer wearing their suits.

"Why aren't you wearing your haz-mat gear?" He accused eyes back open and pushing the dizziness to the side with an iron will.

"It didn't work." Beckett replied, solemn as the impact collided into John Sheppard's mind.

"But you said you had a cure."

"I did...have actually." Beckett had rushed to the cooling corpse, retrieving as much blood as possible.

"You do?" Sheppard looked around wondering if he was losing his mind, "Was anyone going to tell me this?"

McKay grinned, "We were trying...but you've got this thing about talking..."

"Don't tell me I talk too much." Sheppard interrupted, "Coming from you McKay, that's a joke if ever there was."

McKay reddened, "I don't talk too much."

Ford snorted. Teyla mistook his noise for coughing and smacked him on his back, causing Ford to cough harder, "What'd you do that for?"

Teyla frowned, "I thought you needed assistance."

"Do me a favor and don't...assist me...again. I think you broke a rib." He winced and coughed a last time.

"Should we not tell Major Sheppard about the...other thing?" Teyla asked.

"Yes, you should tell Major Sheppard." John said pointedly.

"Uh, sorry...I was getting to that." Ford put a hand on the barrel of his weapon, "We think it sent off a signal before blasting itself into pieces."

"You're kidding." Sheppard couldn't believe it. No one could be this unlucky.

McKay shook his head. Beckett stared above his head. "Do you have a plan?" He asked finally when all of them failed to offer anything further.

"Yes." Beckett answered.

Sheppard knew something was up. "And..."

McKay decided to bite the bullet, take the plunge, be the one to bear the brunt of their plan, "Evacuate to Atlantis."

"Are you nuts?" Sheppard exploded.

"We have the cure Major...Atlantis will not be at risk. I've radioed ahead and Dr. Weir is clearing the gate room." Beckett spoke up. Although he hadn't tested it yet he knew it would work, and even if he didn't, he had made sure Elizabeth knew to take precautions. They couldn't stay here and let the wraith capture them. Not for food and not for intel.

"I don't like it." Sheppard said. He didn't want to put the city in danger and he didn't want to abandon the Ancient's outpost, leaving it for the wraith to come and salvage and explore.

"We have no choice." Teyla said, her expression earnest. "They are on the way even now."

"We always have choices Teyla." John said. "We've got to destroy it."

"I've all ready thought about it." McKay spoke quietly, "I can rig a power feed that will overload the system. A little C-4 in the right spot and kablooey."

"Kablooey?" Ford repeated.

McKay gestured wide, "Kablooey."

"We do realize we'll lose the research? This might have been the answer for fighting the wraith." Sheppard reminded everyone.

Beckett shook his head, "I don't think so Major, the Ancient's couldn't get it to work. It's naïve to believe we'd have a chance at doing any better."

"Not naïve...just optimistic Beckett." Sheppard was tired. Fatigue washed over him in huge cresting waves. "Do it."

McKay nodded and waved for Ford to give him a hand. He was finding it hard stay upright, succumbing to the virus at a rate barely below the Major's. His weakness didn't slip past Sheppard. "How long till you can cure us?"

"A couple hours...maybe more."

Sheppard turned towards Teyla, grimacing as he fought to keep himself awake, "Do we have that long?"

"I don't know." Teyla answered truthfully.

"I don't want to go until we've got it Doctor. Not unless we have to."

Beckett nodded, "I'll get to work. Teyla, would you..."

"I'll stay with Major Sheppard." She said.

"Major Sheppard is right here." John tried to look annoyed but the fever-induced glassy look made it hard to pull off.

"Right." Beckett stood but hesitated for a moment, "Don't try to get out of bed Major. You will fall on your face."

This time Sheppard did roll his eyes. Partly because he detested being treated like an invalid even if he happened to actually be an invalid, but also because he hated being reminded of how weak and ill he was. "Thanks for the words of encouragement." He muttered.

"Your welcome." Beckett replied over his shoulder, all ready heading for his makeshift lab.

Teyla settled in a chair beside Sheppard's bed. "Do not try and get up." She instructed.

"I won't." He said, surprising them both. John had found that Teyla had that effect on him. He didn't feel the need for bravado when she was around.

"Doctor Beckett will get it done in time." She assured him.

"I know." He replied. But he didn't know. He was too sick to care. He let his eyes drift down and felt a cool hand wiping his damp hair from his forehead.

"Rest Major. I will be here."

And he slept, letting the fever take him into a hazy world of uncertainty, but the trust of his friends anchoring his soul.