A/N Thanks for all the lovely feedback - I really appreciate the time taken! BTW, the title, Jurassic Snark, came from the lovely, talented, and oh so wondrous at betaing, Miss Jill! Big round of applause! And now, onto the story...

7. A Fine Line

Pulling off his hat, Ford swiped at his forehead and glanced across the ravine. The carcasses of the chomposaurs' Sheppard had killed last time were still there, though most of the flesh had been stripped away. There didn't appear to be any new predators in the area, and that was the best they could hope for.

"I'm gonna have to carry the doctor over, and then I'll come back for the Major. You and I will have to put him between us to get across." Teyla considered his words and nodded. There were no alternatives. Neither liked leaving Dr. McKay unprotected, but they had little choice, they had to cross the ravine. Ford tiredly sat beside the major and let him know the plan. He knew the man probably couldn't understand a word he said, but it seemed the right thing to do.

"Major?" Sheppard's face was flushed, the normally spiky black hair slick with sweat and plastered to his temples. "Major?" Ford touched him on the shoulder trying to gain his attention. The eyes blinked and rolled before finally managing to fix on Ford's face. Ford started to offer him a canteen of water, and then just held it up to his C.O.'s mouth. Sheppard drank slowly, his training holding even now.

"I'm going to carry Dr. McKay over the ravine, Major. I need for you to stay here with Teyla. Then we'll all go over together, ok sir?"

"Doin' good, F'rd," rasped out the major. "Tryin' for my job, huh." Ford's eyes widened at Major Sheppard's words and then he grinned hugely.

"Glad you're still with us, Major. You're the only one who'll ever be able to handle McKay."

The major, exhausted, slumped to the ground, holding his injured arm carefully. Ford levered himself up and walked to where McKay lay unmoving.

"Cover us as we go over, okay?"

Teyla nodded assent and pulled her 9mm from the holster. They were limited on clips and Ford had used up all the makings for the MRE bombs. The image of the DHD in the crocodile's nest into his head; he pushed it back. One thing at a time, Aiden, he told himself. As gently as he could, he pulled McKay up into a sitting position, and then over his shoulder into a fireman's carry. Through it all the scientist made no sound. That was probably what was the most unnerving of all that had happened. McKay's silence.

Setting his foot to the end of the fallen tree, Ford started making his precarious way across. He felt the tree shudder under their combined weight but just kept his eyes fixed on the far end. Just like walking down the street, he told himself, you're just walking down the street…, and then smiled as he imagined hearing Rodney McKay, 'Yeah, just walking down a street that's only six inches wide, is supplied with plenty of branches to trip you and rocks waiting fifty feet ready to rip you to shreds if you slip!'

'It's all good, Dr. McKay,' he responded mentally. His imagination supplied the huff he knew he would have heard if Dr. McKay had really been talking and he smiled again to himself.

At one point he'd caught his boot tip on the stump of a branch and nearly overbalanced. He heard Teyla's stifled cry and concentrated on centering the weight he held over his shoulders. Sweating and shaking with nerves and fatigue, he continued on. Minutes later, with a sigh of relief, Ford stepped off the end of the tree, laying McKay down in a small depression.

"See, Doc, I got you here safe and sound," Ford whispered as he settled the man as comfortably as he could. "I'll be right back."

Without McKay's added weight to balance, Ford almost ran back across the tree. Teyla had the stretcher broken down and ready. Their plan was simple: Teyla in front holding onto the ends of the poles from the stretcher, next Sheppard, and finally Ford bringing up the rear, holding the other ends of the poles to form a cage supporting the major. They all wore cord fashioned into climbing harnesses linked together with lengths of the cord. Sheppard was just aware enough of his surroundings to get disoriented while being carried, and possibly start struggling. The harnes as their only option.

Teyla led off and the major followed, lurching behind her, swaying into the poles. Ford could hear the harsh sound of Sheppard's breathing, uneven and raspy. It was warm anyway, but the sweat was running off his pale face, creating dark rings on his black tee. Swearing under his breath, Ford closed up the gap. If he could keep close enough behind Sheppard maybe it would help keep the major on his feet. For all her strength, Teyla was quite a bit smaller than Sheppard and if he knocked into her, they would both go down.

As if thinking made it so, almost halfway across, Sheppard collapsed, slipping between the bars of the small cage and dragging Teyla backwards. Ford saw it coming and braced himself, jamming his feet against the branches and leaning back against the punishing wrench as first Sheppard and then Teyla dangled from the thin cord.

"Teyla!" yelled Ford, his voice constricting with the Herculean effort. "You ok?"

She answered after a moment, sounding breathless. "I, I will be fine, Aiden. Major Sheppard is unconscious however. I am going to attempt to climb up the rope and then help you draw him up."

"Get it done," he ground out, the thin cording biting into his hands and waist. He felt like he was about to be sliced in half. The increased motion of the line just added to the tension, and he noticed a spot where the cording was rubbing on the rough bark of the tree. He prayed to God that it didn't fray and break.