Author's Notes: Woah, short chapter. Thanks for the reviews!
If I Die
Chapter Twelve - Rabbits
Night had fallen, filling the room with shadows. Dim light from two moons filtered through the trees and into the open window, cast shapes on the ground, graced the three sleeping figures and the one propped up against a wall.
Ford sat companiably beside McKay, weapon lying across one knee, unopened MRE on the other. He was enjoying the silence, listening to the distant noise of the forest outside, watched the trees through the doorway as he fumbled at the MRE's packaging.
"Lieutenant."
He looked down. McKay's eyes were open, although he seemed to be focused on a point several inches to the right. The scientist addressed the air, his voice a rasp.
"I need you to do something."
"Sure." He dropped the MRE into his lap and moved a little closer to the scientist, into his frame of vision. "What?"
"You, ah," a tongue licked dry lips, "Do you have a pen?"
"Oh." He pulled back instantly, calm shattered, shaking his head. "No. No way."
"Lieutenant –"
"I know what you're going to say."
A hint of desperation: "Aiden –"
Ford clenched his jaw. "You heard the Major. We're all getting out of here and back to Atlantis. Just a little longer."
"Huh." McKay gave a short, gurgled laugh. "Excuse me if I'm less than convinced. Sheppard can't pull a rabbit out of this hat." Caught Aiden's gaze. "Please."
Another shake of his head. "Hey, I remember from last time. Back on Atlantis, with that nanovirus? It wasn't needed then and it isn't now." Paused. Added, softly: "And I haven't forgotten either. Saving kids, theory of unification…"
McKay's eyes widened a little, evidently surprised at the younger man's memory. Prompted: "And…"
"And your sister." He touched the scientist's shoulder briefly, then pulled back. "I remember. Everyone's got someone back on Earth, right?"
McKay turned his head slightly, breaking the moment to stare at the wall. "I suppose." His expression was more open that Ford had ever seen it, eyes dark and shadowed with regret.
Ford looked away, not wanting McKay to know he'd been caught looking so vulnerable. Studied the MRE packet, passing it from hand to hand and reading its contents as though they held the knowledge of the universe.
"There was someone else."
He decided it was better not to look up. Waited for McKay to continue. Listened to the scientist breathe in shallow, irregular rasps.
"Doc?"
Silence. He turned his head to see that McKay was unconscious, his eyes closed, one hand curled protectively over his chest. Gently, Aiden reached across to tug Major's Sheppard's jacket up to the scientist's chin, careful not to disturb him.
Something broke the stillness, the sound of a snap, and a rustle of leaves. Ford turned in time to see a bottle of something aflame fly through the open window. He yelled an alarm, flung himself protectively over the scientist just as the bottle hit the floor and smashed, sending shards of burning material across the room. He felt them hit his jacket, rolled quickly onto his back to snuff them out.
Across the room and alerted by the cry, Sheppard rolled in time to cover his face with his hands, scraps of burning cloth setting his sleeves to smolder. He patted them out quickly, then sat up, his weapon pointed towards the door. Beside him Teyla, her back turned to the door and partially shielded by Sheppard, had managed to avoid most of the onslaught and she was now on her feet, gun in hand.
None of this was in time to stop several men from entering the room, heavily armed, their faces daubed with mud and the clothes similar to those worn by Jawesh. Over the smoke, the two groups stared at each other, weapons held absolutely still, Sheppard even ignoring the still smoldering patch of cloth on his jacket's shoulder.
"Drop your weapons," one of the men demanded, a tall, lithe figure in a dark green shirt and trousers.
"I don't see any reason for doing that," Sheppard said, calmly.
"This building is surrounded," a second Silani said, shorter than his companion, skinny but tightly muscled. "You cannot escape this place."
"I might be willing to test that theory," Sheppard returned, evenly.
The first glanced at McKay, then back at the Major pointedly. "And would you leave your friend, or do you believe there is time for you to carry him?"
Sheppard's grip on his gun visibly tightened, knuckles whitening.
The Silani gave a small sigh. "We do not wish you to harm you, Major Sheppard. You are worth more to us alive."
With great reluctance Sheppard lowered his weapon, Aiden and Teyla copying a second later. The Silani smiled, and with a slight gesture instructed his men to stand down.
"Thank you Major. You will see that things are easier without guns."
"Come to drag us back to the city?" Ford asked, unable to keep quiet any longer.
Their captor blinked in apparently genuine surprise. "It seems you are confused, Lieutenant. We are not with Marikar and his council. We are the Hallan."
