If I Die

Chapter Eight - Whittlin'

McKay awoke to see a canopy of trees above him, rocked unevenly across his gaze, glimpses of sunlight dizzying and melding the greenery into a blur. He tried to move, to raise one arm to shade his eyes and found them pinned by something tight across his chest. He was trapped, lay flat between the tight thing and something taut and firm beneath him. A wave of claustrophobia swept him and he panicked, air gone from his lungs as he tried to struggle against the cloth that held him down.

Big mistake.

Pain burst across his abdomen and chest, blacked out his vision and left him with only an alien gurgle when he tried to cry out. Bit his lip hard and struggled to catch his breath, fighting against both the pain and the threat of a panic attack.

"Doc?"

Forcing himself to take a deep breath, McKay felt the pain recede, and after several long moments he was left with only a throbbing ache in his side, and a dull, nerveless tingling across his chest and in his fingers. The black spots cleared, and he tilted his head back a fraction for Ford's face to swim into view.

"Whuh?"

The concerned look was abruptly masked by an easy grin and a relieved: "Glad you're back with us. Try not to move, okay, or you might fall out."

"Is he awake? Thought he was going to sleep all day."

Sheppard's voice. He couldn't see him, but he could hear him, coming from somewhere near his feet.

The dizzying movement of the trees above him suddenly stopped, then jolted, and he heard the rustle of grass and the snap of branches before something uncomfortably hard and uneven pressed into his back.

Something hard, uneven, and cold.

The ground, he realized, belatedly. Which meant that the trees above him belonged to the forest of Silani. Which meant that they were not yet back at Atlantis.

Which meant…

"Hey." Sheppard's hand descended to clasp McKay's shoulder warmly, as the Major dropped to a crouch beside his friend. "Don't try and get up, alright? You'll ruin all mine and Ford's hard work."

"I whittled," Ford said, grinning.

McKay blinked at him, distracted by the increasing pain in his side. "Whittled?"

"Yeah. Made you your very own stretcher." Sheppard glanced up at Ford. "I think the Lieutenant has a knack for it."

"Always excelled in 'shop, Major."

"I was a maths geek." Returning his gaze to McKay, Sheppard started to examine the wadded bandages, lifting them gently from the wound. "What about you, Rodney? I'd pick you out as a jock."

"Hah hah," he retorted, struggling not to fight against Sheppard's touch. Trying to focus on something other than his friend's bloodied hands, he craned his head back to try and look around at his surroundings. Noticed the missing member. "Where's Teyla?"

"Scouting ahead." Sheppard kept his head down, concentrating on his task. "I'm afraid getting back to the 'gate is going to take a little longer than we originally expected." He tugged hard on the bandages, prompting a sharp hiss and a gurgle from McKay.

"Oh god…" The scientist clenched his eyes shut, mumbled: "So what about that jeep idea?"

"Wish we could. But the road is crawling with Silani security squads. We think they're trying to hunt down the group that attacked the city. Unless things get a bit quieter, we'll have to take a slightly longer path to the 'gate."

Having finished tightening the dressing, Sheppard wiped his hands across pre-existing trouser stains. Turned to his backpack and pulled out a water canister, then held it to his friend's lips, slipping his hand under McKay's head to support him as he drank.

"Good?" he asked, when he judged McKay had had enough. At a nod, he put away the bottle, moved to stand when he felt a weak grip grab his wrist.

Blue eyes stared at him searchingly. "You should go ahead without me."

"Not gonna happen," Sheppard said simply, although he placed his free hand over McKay's tightly.

"If you left me for the Silani to find –"

Firmly: "No. Look, you're about two hours too late, McKay. We've had this conversation and it's already been agreed. We don't leave people behind." Briefly squeezed his friend's hand and felt cold fingers. "Besides," he joked, "Who's going to fix Atlantis the next time we break something? You think I'm leaving that job to Kavanaugh? We'd be at the bottom of the ocean in a month. You're irreplaceable, McKay, or so you keep telling me."

He wasn't falling for it. A whisper: "I'm serious."

"So am I. End of discussion."

"Major Sheppard." Teyla had emerged from the bushes, her cheeks flushed with exertion.

Untangling his hands, Sheppard got to his feet, McKay watching him walk across to Teyla to consult with her and Ford in quiet tones. Their voices carried softly across the forest clearing.

"Well?"

"I believe I have found an old path to the Stargate, one that has not been used in several decades. It will take us several more hours than a straight route but we should remain unnoticed by the Silani."

"How long are we talking?"

"At our current pace, six or seven hours."

Ford was shifting his weight from foot to foot awkwardly. "Sir, can we really expect the 'gate to be accessible?"

"Marikar said the land around the 'gate was a no man's land. I'm hoping that's still the case."

"And if it isn't?" Teyla queried. "We cannot hope to take the 'gate by force."

"Not on our own." Sheppard glanced at his watch. "But in about ten hours Elizabeth will start to wonder where we've gone. The minute she dials up the 'gate, we can radio for back-up. Get Bates and a team through."

Teyla glanced over Sheppard's shoulder. "Major –" and her voice faltered.

Grimly, quiet and indistinct: "I know. But we can get him to the 'gate."

"Don't wait for me," McKay mumbled, lifting a hand in shaky protest.

Sheppard turned, revealed a glimpse of remorse mixed with fear, before plastering it over with an easy smile and a mock stern look. "I've told you already."

"Thought I'd try again." He closed his eyes for a moment, his head swimming, and opened them again to find Sheppard once more by his side, that same hand on his shoulder.

Concerned: "Rodney?"

"M'fine."

"Okay." Patted the shoulder. "Just lie still. No falling out of the stretcher."

And then Sheppard's face disappeared, he caught a glimpse of Ford's hands, and then the ground shook and leaves crackled as the stretcher was lifted into the air. Above him, the ceiling of trees blurred into mottled green and he closed his eyes against a sea of nausea, trying not to throw up.