THE TRENCH
PART NINE: INFIRMARY PERSPECTIVES (PART ONE)

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Sheppard groaned, leaning back against the infirmary bed, still feeling like his skin crawling even after the incredibly long shower Beckett had just subjected him too. He still felt sick as a dog—nauseas, disoriented and miserable. All he really wanted to do was pop some Tums and make it all go away. Somehow, though, he knew it wasn't that easy.

But at least he was still awake. Next to him, McKay was still unconscious, a breathing tube down his throat, while the black doctor whose name Sheppard now was pretty sure was just "doctor," gently swabbed away at the chemical burns visible on the scientist's slack arms. There were darkening blisters on McKay's face, neck and especially his hands, and dark red splotches everywhere else. Sheppard still didn't know how McKay had gotten so drenched by the acidic water…but he had a feeling it had something to do with why he and Ford weren't floating face down and drowned somewhere on M73-XTT.

They were both lying in a small side room, which Beckett had made into a clean room, because of the risk of infection to them both from their burns. Doctor no-name wore a mask, as did everyone else who came in here to check on them. Which, to be honest, hadn't been that many people.

Of course, that was probably because the people who usually visited him in the infirmary were his team…and they were all down for the count this time.

The thought made him grimace, and he looked over at McKay again, trying to ignore the worry gnawing away at his gut. At least McKay was with him. He had no idea about Teyla or Ford.

He was about to speak up and ask the doc about them when a noise to the left told him someone had just walked into the infirmary.

Beckett strolled past the end of his bed, obviously frowning behind the mask he wore at the lab results in his hands from McKay's blood work, clearly not happy with the results. He walked over to Sheppard's nameless doctor and started talking in medical speak. The major tried to follow the conversation, but was just too tired to make heads or tails of it.

Finally, when Beckett appeared to have finished his discussion of the treatment with the other doctor, Sheppard spoke up.

"Hey…Carson," he croaked, then regretted it as his throat burned. He gritted his teeth, reaching up to rub at his neck.

Beckett smiled sadly at him, then, with one more word to doctor no-name, moved over to stand next to the major.

"How are you feeling?" he asked softly.

"Awful," Sheppard replied, smiling weakly before getting serious again. "But I need to know what's happening. How's Ford? And Teyla? And what's going on with McKay?"

Beckett chuckled a little at the expected string of questions, leaning against the side of the infirmary bed and crossing his arms.

"Well, easiest part first, major. Teyla is fine. She regained consciousness not too long after she returned, but she's very weak. The dart was poisoned, as you might've guessed, but you got her back here fast enough to—"

"Actually, that was McKay. He was the one with her."

Beckett absorbed that with a shrug, "Okay. Rodney got her back here fast enough for us to treat her. I have her over in a different set of rooms, since she doesn't need to be in here with you and Rodney. She's dying to come see you, as I'm sure you're anxious to see her. As soon as I feel she's strong enough, I'll bring her over."

Sheppard nodded, happy for the information. "And Ford?"

Beckett frowned, which caused Sheppard to sit up a little, watching as the physician shook his head. "To be honest, Major, I don't know yet. He was sent straight to surgery as soon as he arrived, and I know they are doing their best for him in there. Dr. Biro has been giving me updates, and I haven't heard anything to suggest it is not going well, but I really don't know more than that he did lose a great deal of blood and is still critical. The moment I have more information, I promise to let you know."

Sheppard grimaced, but accepted the lack of an answer. He should have known really.

"And McKay?"

Beckett blew the air out of his cheeks, glanced at the scientist where doctor no-name was now hooking up some new IVs, and shook his head.

"I think both he and you will be fine. He's very lucky, Major, as are you, that your exposure to that strange chemical on M73-XTT was not longer and more severe. It did a real doozy on both of you. Acid burns on your skin and down your throats, and it messed with both your blood pressures. I was amazed to see you both standing when you came through that gate…though," he shrugged, "I suppose you didn't stay standing for long." He chuckled a little at the poor joke, then winced a little in embarrassment. "Sorry, major."

Sheppard smiled back, to show he didn't mind (the "cling-on" joke had been much worse, after all), and looked over at McKay again, "But why's he on a respirator?"

"Ah, well, unfortunately for our Rodney, he swallowed a lot more of that nasty water down than you did, and its torturing his insides as much as his out. The chemical caused burning, causing his throat to constrict. Besides sending him into paroxysms of coughing, as you saw, it eventually prevented him from breathing at all by closing his throat completely. Still, we've managed to isolate the chemical, and are treating him to get it out of his system. His burns, like yours, will also heal over time, but we're going to keep both you and he here for a little while until the risk of infection has gone down."

"So…he'll live?"

"Oh, aye. I was never really afraid of him dying, Major, not after we had him intubated and breathing again. I was more worried about the pain he and you would be in."

"Pain?" Sheppard gulped. He didn't feel much pain right now.

Beckett gave a small shrug, "Don't worry, son. Modern medicine can do a lot of things for pain—something which you're experiencing right now. Not to worry."

Sheppard watched him a moment longer, then sighed, leaning back and closing his eyes. Great.

He felt Beckett pat his shoulder, "You rest now, Major. As soon as I hear about the lieutenant's condition, I'll let you know."

"Thank you," Sheppard whispered softly, as he felt himself drift to sleep. "Thank you."

Beckett watched the major fall asleep, finally succumbing to the pain meds they'd been feeding him. He looked down, then over at the other doctor.

"You have what you need, son?"

"Yes," the other doctor said, adjusting another IV on McKay's other side. "We'll be fine in here." He met Carson's eyes, "Why don't you go see if you can find out more about Lieutenant Ford."

Beckett smiled behind his mask, grateful. "I will." He glanced at McKay's damaged face, then once more at Sheppard's. "When it rains, it pours," he muttered sadly as he turned to leave the small infirmary room.

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TBC (and thank you everyone for the fantastic reviews so far! I'm so glad you're enjoying it! Can't tell you what it means to know that!)