Thanks go to OXBastetXO for her advice on certain military details...
If I Die
Chapter 6 - Ow...
"It hurts." Ground out between clenched teeth.
"Getting shot hurts. I'd have never guessed," Sheppard muttered, staggering slightly beneath the weight of his friend. Was it possible for someone to become heavier the more blood they lost?
And McKay had lost a lot already.
"Ford?"
Aiden ducked back from the team's tail, sidearm clutched securely in one hand. "We're not being followed. I think our escape was missed in the firefight. There's still a hell of a lot of noise coming from the city, sir."
"Good." Sheppard grunted slightly, shifting his shoulder as it continued to take McKay's weight. "Teyla?"
She emerged from the undergrowth ahead of them, her eyes bright in the moonlight. "There is an abandoned building less than a hundred meters to our west. I believe it will provide sufficient shelter for the night."
"Got that, McKay? Just a little further."
He got no response except a series of short, shallow gasps. Ahead of him Teyla curved between bushes and trees, choosing the most stable path, a thought Sheppard was grateful for. It already took enough concentration trying to find his own feet, to half-carry, half-drag the stumbling scientist along with him. She moved as a shadow, folding between the moonlight and the darkness, occasionally doubling back to make certain she was being followed.
Maybe back on Atlantis I can join her on an Athosian hunt. See how she does it.
The building rose suddenly out of the night. One storey, barely more than a hut, ramshackle roof fallen in at one end, windows nothing more than empty holes in the mud and mortar. Definitely abandoned, and some time ago. The doorway was rotting and was pushed aside easily; the plants which clung to the stone and formed webs around gaps were less easily moved away. Sheppard considered pulling a knife, but Teyla put out a hand to stop him, moved past him to pull the foliage apart. She created a doorway with her hands, then let it close back over them after entering, concealing their hiding place nicely.
A small rock snagged the underside of Sheppard's boots, brought him and McKay down into an undignified heap. He rolled quickly, pushed himself up to see McKay lying on his side, fetal position, in the dirt. Teyla was bent over him, trying to tug the man upright and Ford promptly joined her, slipping an arm under McKay's shoulders to pull him up and lean him against the wall.
Sweat shone off McKay's face, a fine sheen in the moonlight. Eyes glazed and breath coming in short, sharp rattles. It took several gentle taps on the cheek before his eyes turned to Teyla.
"Doctor McKay."
"Ow," he responded, prompting a quick grin from Ford, one Sheppard felt himself share. His humor died abruptly when he saw a shudder roll through the scientist.
"I bet," Sheppard said quietly, moving to kneel by McKay's side. Beside him, unbidden, Ford walked to the small window, sidearm at the ready, safety off. The sound of distant gunfire could be heard coming from the direction of the city. Trusting his second to concentrate on the noise, Sheppard towards McKay.
"We're stopping here for a while, right?" Rodney asked, looking up at Sheppard for a nod.
"Right. Find our bearings, get some rest. No point stumbling around in the forest just to get lost."
"Good." McKay's eyes closed, slowly. "Because it's not that I'm unfit, it's just, ah, moving felt like a bad idea. A really, really bad idea."
"I know," Sheppard admitted. "But it's not like we had any choice."
He received a nod in return, slight, barely perceptible. "Yeah. Next time though, we steal one of those carrier thingies."
Another, small grin. "Agreed."
Teyla was unzipping the medical kit, rifling through its contents with slender fingers. She pulled out a wedge of fresh bandages, laid them to one side as she started to pick at the soaked wadding.
Disturbed by the movement, McKay opened his eyes and looked down with an expression of horror. "Is all that mine?"
"Dammit," Sheppard cursed, under his breath. "I thought we'd managed to slow the bleeding."
"I believe our recent journey may have re-opened the wound." She raised her gaze to McKay's, apologetic. "This will hurt."
"There's a surprise. Don't suppose you've got any of that, uh…" He lifted a hand and waved, sluggishly. "Stuff."
Sheppard rifled quickly through the kit and found four syringes, one broken but the other three intact. He snapped one out, then rolled up McKay's sleeve. After struggling for a moment to find a vein, he plunged the needle through soft skin. The utter lack of any reaction from the scientist caused him to glance at Teyla, worried, but she was busy preparing the bandages, had a wad of cloth ready to press against the wound.
She moved as if to press down, but Sheppard held out a hand, stopped her. Looked directly into McKay's eyes.
"This is going to hurt. Trust me, I know how it feels. But I need you to be as quiet as possible, alright?"
"Right." The drugs were taking effect, McKay's eyes beginning to glaze over. "No sense waking the natives."
"Something like that."
Teyla: "Are you ready?"
"No."
Sheppard gave a lop-sided grin, patting McKay on the shoulder, forcing his friend to look away from the bloody wound. "Just think of something else."
"What would you –" McKay cut off with a gurgle, Teyla pressing down hard on his stomach. Instinctively he tried to pull backwards but banged his shoulders against the wall, pushed his head back against the stone and screwed his eyes shut. For several long moments there was nothing except the sound of McKay snorting breaths through his nose, and noise from the forest outside.
Sheppard broke the silence when McKay's face had turned paper white and his knuckles, hands clenched into fists, were bright red. "Teyla."
She said nothing, her face expressionless.
Louder: "Teyla."
She pulled away with a small sigh, then quickly began wrapping bandages around the wadding. "It has slowed once more."
McKay had opened his eyes but none of the colour had returned to his face, and his breathing was ragged and uneven. "Jesus."
"Ow," Sheppard sympathized.
Teyla looked guilty. "I am sorry."
"S'not your fault." He closed his eyes again, chin dropping to his chest. Teyla's fingers crept to his neck, then pulled away.
"I believe he has passed out."
"Fainted" Ford said softly, his gaze never leaving the window.
Sheppard forced himself to give a weak smile. Patted McKay on the shoulder, got to his feet and turned to Aiden. The younger man's face was taut, studying the undergrowth outside intently.
"Doesn't look like we were followed, sir. And the fighting from below has stopped."
"Damn. I was hoping those guys would be so busy beating each other up they'd forget about us."
Ford raised an eyebrow. "Not overly likely, is it sir?"
Sheppard offered an apologetic shrug. "Guess not." He glanced back at McKay, ashen face still tense even in rest. Lowered his voice. "Look, Lieutenant, perhaps you and Teyla should use this opportunity to head back to the gate."
Teyla heard him, moving soundlessly up from her position by McKay to stand beside the two men. "And what of you and Doctor McKay? He requires medical assistance."
"I know, Teyla."
"You'd take him back to the Silani?" Ford guessed.
"It's crossed my mind."
Teyla began shaking her head, dark hair falling across her face. "I do not believe that is wise, Major. The Silani will ensure that you and Doctor McKay are held prisoner once more – and I do not think they will allow any mistakes a second time. Escape would be impossible."
"Maybe. But in the meantime the Silani would take care of Rodney. He's the one they need for that machine. And you guys can head back to Atlantis and mount a rescue."
"And what about you?" Ford pointed out. "No offence, sir, but you're surplus to the Silani's requirements."
"I'd be fine."
Another shake of dark hair. "You do not know that. The Silani have shown themselves to be ruthless. It is likely if you returned to their settlement they would use you to force Doctor McKay to work for them."
Sheppard was ready with a response, an easy: "Like I said, you'd send the cavalry. Besides, we don't know that they'd bother doing anything to me."
"And what about Doctor McKay?" Ford persisted. "If the Silani realize that he can't fix their machine…"
"Then he will also become surplus to requirements," Teyla finished, quietly.
Sheppard's heart sank a little, his quick answers dying unspoken. They're right, of course. Too many ifs and buts.
Ford was watching McKay sleep. "Sir, I know I speak for Teyla when I say, we're not leaving anybody behind." He raised his eyes to face Sheppard's, determinedly. "It's not what we do."
His second smile proved more genuine, despite his inner voice asking whether any of them had a chance at reaching home. "Well, then I guess we should set about building a stretcher. We might have to make the trek back to the 'gate but I'm not doing that with Rodney whining for the whole trip."
