Chapter 5

She glanced at her watch. Everything in her yearned to be down there, at Rodney's side, but she had a job here, and if anyone could pull a rabbit out of this particular hat, it was Zelenka.

The first benchmark had passed. She found her thoughts turning dark, the Tok'ra had been wiped out, they no longer considered humans allies - or, more basic, they'd just said 'no'. Minutes passed slowly, time stretching.

Then - a familiar sound.

"Incoming wormhole."

oOo

Sam still got a thrill, stepping through the 'gate with her father. For so long he hadn't understood why she loved her job, until he had been diagnosed with cancer and the Tok'ra, Selmac, was his only chance to live. He looked over, and even with the gravity of the situation, he smiled at her. She smiled back.

"So, you remembered your doohickey?" O'Neill asked from the control room, and Jacob turned and held a box high.

"Good enough. Carter. He's a pain in the ass, but he's good. Let's not lose him, huh?"

She nodded, and met the eyes of her team.

"Let's go to Atlantis."

oOo

It was a longer trip than she'd experienced before, but she stepped out the other side feeling only slightly chilled. The size of the room, and the beauty, were almost overwhelming. She glanced at Teal'c and Daniel, at her dad, and smiled.

That was all she had time for, as Weir came pounding down the stairs.

"Follow me," she said shortly. "The situation has deteriorated drastically."

oOo

Lying down eased the discomfort almost immediately, Sheppard discovered. He pulled the com off and placed it in Beckett's hand like a reluctant child returning a toy, then looked more closely.

Carson Beckett had always been the consummate doctor. On Earth, he dispensed medical care with a healthy dollop of earthy wisdom, and treated emergencies with speed and efficiency...but no one hung out with him. He was friendly, but not friends with the base, even during the time he was helping prepare the expedition.

Atlantis had changed him. It had changed them all. He had friends, good ones. And now one of them had passed beyond his help, and it seemed the last chance to save him had failed.

He was hurting.

Sheppard understood that kind of hurt.

He reached out and took Beckett's arm. "You did your best," he said gently. "Thank you."

There was more to say, he had no words, but the tension in Beckett's face eased a fraction.

"Come," he said. "He may still know we're here. Let's keep him company."

Teyla helped Beckett wheel him over, and Ford joined them. One missing.

"Radek?"

He was listening to his comm, as was Ford, and they spoke almost as one.

"They're here." "They're coming."

oOo

Radek moved off to one side, out of the way. The two, father and daughter - and, he realized, father's symbiote - made for the pallet immediately, along with Weir and Beckett, joining Sheppard and Teyla. He knew the other two, or at least knew of them, and tried on a smile as they approached.

"Dr. Zelenka," the shorter one said. "I'm Dr. Daniel Jackson. Daniel." He gestured to the Jaffa behind him. "And Teal'c."

He nodded at the two. "Radek," he said. It was like meeting royalty. He pulled an old conversational gambit out of history, right from his first English class.

"How do you know Rodney?"

Jackson smiled a bit. "Oh, here and there. He had a reputation on earth that seemed to be at odds with the one he has here." He glanced at the man behind him. "Sam wasn't surprised at how well he's done, but - well - call us curious."

"The doctor appears to be exceeding expectations," Teal'c added. "We did not anticipate his aptitude for off-world missions."

"Colonel Sheppard hand-picked his team," Zelenka observed. "Losing Dr. Grodin was terrible for us all, if we lose Rodney..." he swallowed, changed the subject. "Truly, he has displayed an ability to conjure up solutions that rivals Dr. Carter. He has made friends here, too. Would be very hard...well, reports are accurate...loss of McKay…" He shoved his hands more deeply in his pockets, letting his faltering English go, and stared at the group surrounding the two men.

The Jaffa and the human nodded, and he could tell they knew what he'd intended to say. The loss would rip the heart out of them.

"They're starting," Jackson observed.

oOo

Sam hadmet Sheppard on Earth, and had been struck by his resilience, his ability to adapt to the new world he found himself in. He'd always carried an ineffable sense of California boy free spirit with him, a natural joy in life.

Little of that was left in the man she saw, lying on the gurney. She knew, from reports, what they'd gone through since arriving in Atlantis, but even in the video he'd had determination, conviction - and still a bit of his joy showed through. Now, there was only determination and a sorrow that seemed vast, overpowering. She'd seen this before. It was O'Neill once again, sitting deathwatch over Daniel.

He didn't look up at their approach. He was lying on the gurney, head turned toward his friend, left hand laced with McKay's right. His eyes appeared closed, but then she could see the slit of hazel, seemingly staring through the present into memory, fixed on his friend.

Her father shook his head when she went to touch Sheppard, simply pulling the healing device on his hand and going to the other side. He breathed deeply, twice, and extended his hand over the wound.

She still had enough naquadah in her system to feel the pull as the process started. It was a measure of Selmac's skill that there was no need for the patient to be isolated physically, and she looked down at Sheppard as he became gradually aware that something was going on.

"It's ok, John," she said quietly, before he could say anything. "It's me."

He looked up, and blinked, puzzled.

"That's my dad, Jacob," she said, knowing the pride was in her voice. "He and Selmac are trying to help."

"Thanks for coming," he said quietly. He craned his neck, saw the group behind Jacob. "Wow. Gang's all here, huh?"

Beckett stepped up and around, next to her. "Can you feel anything?" he asked, gesturing to their hands.

He considered. "Warm. Nice. Like..." he shrugged "...warm." Like a hug from a child, like waking on a Sunday morning to birdsong and the promise of two training hops. Like sitting counting lightning strikes with friends.

Jacob dropped his hand, and Beckett looked over sharply.

"Are you all right?" he asked, and he nodded.

"We must remove the bandages now." Selmac said. "They will inhibit the process."

Beckett nodded, and moved to Selmac's side, helping, as Sam glanced at Sheppard. She gave him points for taking the eyes and the inhuman voice in stride, more disturbing to him was the wound that was uncovered. She found herself as distressed as he was.

"Oh, Rodney." She couldn't help the pained whisper, and Sheppard glanced up at her, understanding, before returning his gaze and attention to McKay.

"Better," Selmac said.

"Do you - want me to let go?" It was evident from the tone that Sheppard didn't really want to. Selmac shook Jacob's head.

"It is not necessary," he replied. He began again, Beckett watching keenly.