PARADISE
By NotTasha
PART 16: BAMBINO
There was no warning. One moment, Sheppard, Ford and Teyla were crowded around McKay's prone form – the next moment, it was all out war.
The creatures charged. The first slammed into Ford, knocking him from his precarious squatting position. Another leaped toward Teyla, but she rolled away and the thing shot past her. A third beast went after Sheppard.
Hunched over McKay, Sheppard stared directly into the eyes of the thing, smelling the stink of its breath – startled to find the eyes a brilliant blue. It growled and tittered, as it arched its back and pounched.
"Son of a…" Sheppard got out – jerking backward. The thing ran over the top of Rodney as it pursued him. John folded himself, reaching. He slammed into the DHD, startling him for a millisecond. He grabbed hold of the device to catch his balance, got his elbow on top of the dialer, and shoved himself to his feet as his grasped the weapon he knew he'd just tripped over.
He had no time to release the safety, to aim, to even think. His hand closed on the barrel of the gun as the creature flew at him. He swung – bringing the butt of the weapon around as fiercely as he could, doing his best Babe Ruth imitation. It smashed into the side of the creature's head. The beast let out a yelp as the force of the blow shattered it skull, and it went flying, disappearing into the blackness, where it thumped to a stop.
Sheppard heard the report of another P-90 behind him, and the sound of a tussle, but he had no time to check on his companions as another of the creatures charged out of the darkness. It latched onto the collar of McKay's jacket without hesitating and started tugging the incapacitated physicist away.
"Oh no you don't!" Sheppard shouted, bringing the P-90 up to his shoulder. He aimed, careful not to hit Rodney as the thing scuttled backward with him, and pulled the trigger – click. Fuck! He only momentarily considered using the weapon as a club again, but he wouldn't have a clear swing at the thing's head. He tossed the jammed weapon at his feet and drew the Berretta from its holster.
The creature kept back-stepping, gazing at Sheppard with its defiant, cruel blue eyes. It snickered and snarled, as it dragged McKay from the firelight. Rodney gasped pathetically, unaware of what was happening.
Teeth clenched in rage, Sheppard fired three shots into the thing. The first bullet staggered it. It let loose its hold on Rodney and turned to flee. The second bullet brought it down. The third shot was just because it felt good.
John ran, kicking the dead creature away, then stood over McKay. He turned, searching out another target. He finally allowed himself to glance at the others. Ford was facing in the opposite direction, taking careful aim and firing into the night. Teyla crouched over the body of one of the creatures, her knee against its windpipe, as she held it down through its death throes.
Something skittered through the night, not far from them. Ford and Sheppard fired on it at the same time – it dropped – and then everything was still – the only sound being the pounding of blood in his ears, the final gasps of the beast Teyla strangled and Rodney's struggling breaths.
Sheppard's heart was hammering. He tried to calm himself as he kept his gun pointing toward the woods around them. He knew Ford mirrored him, waiting for the sound that would betray one of the creatures.
The thing beneath Teyla finally died, then she was at John's side, kneeling beside Rodney, checking on him. Sheppard didn't chance a look down – his eyes still raking the darkness, searching out the creatures. "How is he?" he asked.
"He is very unwell," Teyla responded brusquely. She spoke again, the iciness leaving her, as she uttered that pretty song-like language, trying to cajole and calm. After a minute, Teyla stated sadly, "I don't think he hears me."
Rodney still gasped and Sheppard glanced down. He was met with a frightened gaze from Teyla –and it struck Sheppard that he'd never seen the Athosian look so scared before. Rodney's breathing was coming in hitches, his chest jerking with each gasp. Sheppard tore his gaze away, and returned it to the night – searching. But nothing seemed to move and the only sound their heard was Rodney's troubled respiration.
And then the struggling breaths stopped.
For a moment, Sheppard thought his heart had stopped, too. "No!" the major shouted, dropping down beside Teyla, leaving Ford to guard them again.
Teyla was shaking Rodney, getting no response. Sheppard tried to brush her away so he could begin artificial respiration, but the Athosian drew back, slapping Rodney powerfully across the face with her open palm.
The sharp sound, almost like the report of a rifle, startled Ford, who stared, looking between Teyla and Sheppard in alarm, and John shot one arm across, to capture Teyla's hand as she drew back to strike Rodney again. She fought against him, looking as if she was willing to take Sheppard down, but her struggles stopped almost immediately.
"He is breathing," she said softly and then yanked her arm from John's grasp.
With a sigh, the major sat down, keeping a hold on his gun as he stared at McKay. Rodney breathed – not easily by any means – but he breathed. Sheppard rested his hand against McKay's forehead, feeling how terribly hot he was, noting the reddened cheek where Teyla had struck. When he raised his eyes to meet Teyla's, she gave Sheppard a defiant look.
"We should sit him up," she declared. "It will be easier for him to breathe. And, we should move him closer to the fire where he would be more safe."
Sheppard agreed, and together they carefully moved Rodney closer to the fire. Once there, John wrapped one arm around him, leaning Rodney against himself, keeping him sitting up. McKay was like a furnace, and John could feel himself sweating from being in such close proximity. He hoped this helped, but McKay sounded god-awful.
Teyla appeared with a wet rag and daubed at Rodney's face, wishing they had something cool, something cold to bring down the fever, but the tropical island offered nothing.
Because he needed to do something, Sheppard started talking. " I know that retiring to a tropical island might be someone's idea of paradise, but you and me and the others aren't staying here! I'm not going to bury you here like one of those DAMN DOGS!"
Teyla said nothing, wiping down Rodney's face, her face soft and compassionate. Above them, Ford still nervously changed his aim from once place to another, waiting, listening, ready. But nothing more happened – the night was quiet and calm as the ocean rolled near them.
"It's not going to end…" Sheppard repeated softly. Rodney was so much worse – goddamn it! Why did he try this! Why did he insist on getting McKay up to work on the damn DHD! It was all for nothing – and McKay suffered for it.
There was little hope left for Rodney at the moment. Little hope – but 'little hope' is a lot more than 'no hope'.
TBC - more tomorrow...
A/N: okay, things are bleak, but I'm wrapping it up tomorrow, so here's hoping things improve...