Chapter 10: Up, Up, Up, I Can Only Go Up From Here

"Are you sure about this, Doc?" Sheppard knew he wasn't in the best of shape at the moment but he could clearly make out the hesitancy in the doctor's voice.

"Well, if you have any other option, I'd be willin' to listen. But, since Rodney's down, you're a bloody wreck, and I'm the only person left, I don't believe there are a lot of choices available."

"Alright then, let's see if we can get this baby's power back up and running."

"The sooner the better," Carson said under his breath, casting a quick glance back in Rodney's direction.

The major didn't miss the remark and followed the doctor's glance. "He's going to be okay, right?"

"The sooner we get back, the more I'll know."

Something about Carson's demeanor set off the major's warning bells. "What aren't you telling me, doc?"

Carson fidgeted in his seat, "I think we sprang a leak."

"What!?" A fierce pounding pain flooded his head and he clenched his eyes shut, holding his breath to ride it out. Feeling Carson's hands on his temple, massaging the pain away, he was able to relax minutely, before remembering what set him off. "What leak?" he said a bit quieter this time.

"When I pulled Rodney free from under the grate, I discovered that we appeared to be takin' on a small amount of water. I don't believe the bilge pumps or shields are online, are they?"

Sheppard swallowed dryly before cracking an eye open to study the control console; he was still seeing at least two of everything. "Any other problem I should know about?"

Carson returned to his seat and stared out the window. "Not that I know of."

"Doc, McKay's fuel really knocked you for a loop. Are…?" The remainder of his question stopped when the physician abruptly shifted in his direction.

"Major, if you don't mind, I'm really not in the mood to discuss what happened at the moment."

"I wasn't implying anything; I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

Carson glanced back out the window, feeling the effects of the headache he'd so diligently been trying to ignore. "It's not like I haven't ever had a visit or two to a pub before, but I've never gotten drunk on a swallow."

"I doubt you were ever drinking alien moonshine."

"True." Shifting in his seat, Carson took a deep breath before hesitantly resting his hands on the console. "I'm ready, Major. Tell me what to do."

SG:A

It took several tries and Sheppard's one-eyed patience before the doctor was able to reactivate the systems back on board the 'McKay'. When the bright interior lights returned to normal, kicking off the yellow backups, all three men groaned in discomfort.

"How long do you think it will take us to get back to Atlantis?" Carson questioned, squinting over to the Sheppard who now had both eyes closed.

"Barring anymore trouble with the sea life, I'd say half hour tops."

"Do you think she's gone?"

"Let's hope so. I think one pissed off woman is enough for one day and we're not talking Weir."

"Aye. How are we gonna get around her?"

"I'll think of something."

"It had better be good, lad, because after Elizabeth finds out what's happened, she's gonna make that thing we ran in to look like a guppy."

The major didn't reply, sinking down in his seat and tipping his head forward to rest on his chest. His head was throbbing, his muscles ached, and he really wanted to throw up. A loud groan from behind him made him sit back up too quickly; Rodney was moving.

The doctor's hand dropped on his shoulder, keeping him in the seat. "I got him Major; you just stay put and hold the sub on course." Seeing Sheppard resume his one-eyed squint out the front, Carson carefully made his way back to help the physicist.

Rodney had curled onto his side, wrapping his arms tightly across his middle. When the Scotsman's hand brushed against his forehead, he glanced up and startled the doctor.

"You're awake," Carson said with a pleased smile.

"Not by choice," Rodney whispered. "Thirsty," he rasped.

"I know you are, lad, but I can't give you anything until I make sure you don't have any internal injuries." Adjusting the blanket over his friend, Carson tried to make Rodney more comfortable. "We're not far from home. Just a wee bit longer."

A small nod was his only answer until the scientist opened one eye and looked to him once more. "What is it, lad?"

"You look like hell. What happn'd?"

"What happened? Your moonshine's what happened." Trying to look annoyed, Carson glared, "We're gonna have a long talk about your extracurricular activities once your up and about."

Rodney chuckled softly before a bout of coughing forced him to curl even tighter, groaning from the pain in his front and back. "I never thought I'd say this," he gasped, closing his eyes, "but I really wish we were back in the infirmary."

"I know, lad, I know. I have to help the major get the sub back to Atlantis, are you gonna be alright for a moment?"

Another small nod and this time the scientist's eyes remained closed.

Carson patted Rodney on the shoulder before returning to the front.

"How is he?" Sheppard asked, watching the doctor sit and take back the controls.

"He's awake and hurtin'."

Both men remained silent for several moments, realizing that no matter how miserable they both were feeling…Rodney was worse.

"I was wonderin', Major, why we haven't heard from Atlantis while we've been gone."

"McKay disabled a few systems before we left so no one would notice us gone." Running his hand through his dark hair, Sheppard glanced down at his watch, "I think the morning shift should be noticing the sub missing right about now."

It was only a matter of minutes before the communications came alive on board the small vessel. "This is Atlantis calling the McKay. Come in McKay."

The English accent was unmistakable as Carson glanced over to Sheppard. "Grodin?'

"Yeah. And if he's at the comm station, that mean's Weir isn't too far behind."

The Scotsman shook his head slowly, "We're dead men, you do know that don't you, Major?"

"Maybe, since we're all sick or wounded, she'll take pity on us."

"And, maybe there'll be a ZPM up and running, ready to take us back to Earth when we dock this thing."

"Point taken, Doctor." With an unhappy sigh, Sheppard slid back down in his seat. "I don't feel well."

It might have been the Major's tone or just Carson's instincts, but something told him all was not well in the captain's seat. Casting a quick glance over, he was just in time to see the young officer lose his dinner all over the floor.

"Oh, bloody hell."

SG:A

"McKay, this is Atlantis, please respond."

It took Carson a minute to think of how to answer and he wasn't really interested in having someone yell at him with the way his head was still feeling. Watching the looming underside of the station grow immensely closer, he closed his eyes, said a quick prayer, and returned the hail. "This is the McKay."

"Dr. Beckett?" Grodin sounded astounded.

"Aye, lad." This late in the game, the physician could care less about radio protocol.

"Carson, is McKay and Sheppard with you?" Weir's voice snapped over the intercom.

'The major was correct,' he thought. 'She must be right beside Grodin. Aye, we're dead men. Suck it up, lad,' he rebuked himself, 'She's not gonna suck the life out of you like a wraith…just make your remaining days on Atlantis a living…'

"Yes, Dr. Weir. I'm gonna need a medical team ready when we come in."

"Understood. They're already here waiting."

Carson guided the sub towards the lit bay, carefully aiming so that he didn't slam into the side of Atlantis. When the ship passed easily through the entranceway, he allowed himself a second to congratulate himself for actually bringing them all back alive…and then remembered that Sheppard hadn't told him how to stop. The McKay slammed into one of the remaining parked submersibles with a sickening crunch, before coming to a halt.

Peeling himself off the console, the exhausted physician made his way over to the side door of the McKay and pressed the panel. With a 'whoosh' the small door remarkably opened and he stepped back to allow the others to enter, not at all surprised to see Weir first.

"Doctor, you'd better have a good…" her comment never finished as the Scotsman collapsed at her feet. "Ah, hell."

TBC

A/N One chapter to go… The guys face the music, so to speak!