NOTES: I'm sorry for the delay in posting this chapter. I quite forgot that I hadn't put it up here!

Breaking The Siege

Part Five: The Waiting

Rodney was itching to try everything that he and the other scientists had hypothesised was possible in a city with a fully-powered ZPM.

Right now, he was trying none of it.

He was watching the large screen that displayed the section of the city where Sheppard was staging the rescue - along with most of the rest of the personnel in the control room - and keeping track of other sections of the city that were 'shut down' which was code for 'had Wraith in them'. A working ZPM did amazing things for the city's capabilities.

Even those who had other tasks to do in the control room would periodically pause in their work to watch the screen. Sheppard's comm had been knocked out early on in the fight, and there was too much happening to keep track of every life signal on the board.

"Are fights against the Wraith usually like this?" Dr. Jackson asked, watching the screen as though his life depended on it. "The odds, I mean."

"Well, we wouldn't really know the odds," Rodney pointed out. "We've never encountered more than one or two at a time."

"This is the first massed attack we've encountered," Elizabeth said, turning from her position in front of the screen. "We know their tactics when they're in the air, and once they have prisoners, but we've never yet fought them in these numbers."

"An unknown quantity," rumbled Caldwell.

"Yes, I suppose that's one way of putting it," said Rodney. "But Sheppard's reasonably good at getting out of these things."

"That would be why you've been staring at the screen these last ten minutes, then?"

Rodney glared at Caldwell. The other man shrugged in disingenuous innocence. "John Sheppard is one of my colleagues. We have a healthy respect for each other."

"Which includes worrying over him like a mother hen?"

"I am not--" Rodney paused. "Oh, very funny, Colonel."

Caldwell was unrepentant. "Still the same old McKay."

"You expected anything different?"

"Well, I hoped."

Rodney caught Elizabeth's lift of the eyebrow and shrugged. He wasn't going to explain.

Meanwhile, Caldwell had turned towards the man who'd just climbed the stairs up to the control panels and was waiting with the expectant air of a man who would be noticed sooner or later, and it didn't really matter which to him. "Yes, Sergeant?"

The man's voice was low, but perfectly clear. "Sir, the Daedelus quartermaster has the first shipment of supplies ready for transporting. He wants to know when Dr. Weir would like it down here. And where."

Rodney turned. "Supplies?"

"First shipment?" Elizabeth echoed, astonished.

They looked at each other, and although Elizabeth didn't say as much, Rodney just knew that the same thought had occurred to her at the Colonel's words. We didn't really think that much about a time after we'd defeated the Wraith.

Part of him pointed out that they hadn't entertained the prospect of defeating the Wraith at all.

Caldwell looked from one to the other. "Do you have storage rooms?"

"The E-wing warehouse would be a good place to set it down," Elizabeth said after a moment. "Rodney?"

"Can it be..." Rodney coughed. "...beamed down anywhere in the city?"

Faced turned to Dr. Jackson who looked surprised for a moment. "Anywhere in the city," he confirmed. "We might have to rearrange the loads to have them neatly stacked but we can get your goods to where they're needed." He paused and looked at Elizabeth. "If Dr. Weir assigns someone who knows the city to go up to the Daedelus..."

She instantly looked to Rodney.

"No," he said firmly. "I'm not leaving here until Sheppard gets back." He owed it to Sheppard - and to Ford and Teyla who were still missing and more unlikely to be found with every second that passed. "Besides, I'm a scientist, not a quartermaster."

If Grodin had been around... He closed his mouth around the words. No time for regrets, not now.

"Then maybe Corporal Parks?" Elizabeth said.

Rodney just nodded, not trusting his voice.

Caldwell began giving orders, occasionally pausing to ask questions of Elizabeth or Dr. Jackson.

Rodney stared back at the screen, barely noticing what the Atlantis computers were telling him. Grodin had been an excellent technician. Not as good as Rodney, of course, but a good man, nevertheless. Maybe even a friend?

God knew he didn't have so many people he considered friends that he could afford to lose them. Which was why he was waiting for news of Sheppard, Teyla, and Ford.

They - and Elizabeth and Carson and Radek - were the people who put up with him - granted, amidst much eye-rolling and knowing smirks - and the people who were closest to him. And for Colonel Carter who, in spite of all her faults, was as lovely and enchanting as ever.

"Rodney?" Elizabeth paused beside him, and he hastily tried to cover up his absent-mindedness. "You've been staring into space for several minutes now."

"I..." He caught Caldwell's raised brow and hastily improvised. "I was just considering the possibilities of the city now that we have a ZPM. And wondering if we could use the new capabilities of the city to help Sheppard, Colonel Carter and the others."

Elizabeth nodded. "When we've finished locating the Wraith, and," she added, with a sharp glance at him, "once you've had enough sleep, I promise you can play with the city to your heart's content." Green eyes twinkled gently, flustering him enough that he looked back down at the screen and searched for appropriate words.

"I don't know," he said. "My heart's content might be a bit longer than you think. I mean," he rephrased hastily, seeing the look Caldwell was giving him, "there are a lot of things that I'd like to try, and the Wraith are still out there."

Her mouth quirked slightly. She really was quite a lovely woman. "You'll have at least a few days to work out what the ZPM can do for Atlantis."

"You're assuming there won't be any major crises in the meantime."

"Well, I suppose we could always call on Colonel Carter and Dr. Jackson to help solve the problem."

Rodney opened his mouth to protest. Atlantis was his city! He'd been working on it from day one, even back on Earth at the Antarctica base. There was no way he was going to let two 'consultants' from the SGC walk in and start solving his problems! Besides, they didn't know how to handle Zelenka - or any of the people in the city. They were his people - in a kind of non-proprietary way - and if anyone was going to help them, it was him.

Then he saw the way her mouth had slipped sideways and half-scowled. Now she really was teasing him.

"Oh, ha-ha," he responded sourly.

Elizabeth grinned and lightly squeezed his shoulder then straightened abruptly as their earpieces squawked. "Major Sheppard?"

Rodney mouthed, 'Colonel,' at her and received an impatient wave as they waited for the next response to the hail.

"Colonel?"

There was a hiss of static. Then a voice that was certainly not Sheppard's.

"Dr. Weir?"

"Colonel Carter," Elizabeth's voice had gone slightly flat, not at the Colonel, but at the fact that Sheppard hadn't answered. "The rescue mission?"

"The Wraith are disabled, Dr. Weir," the Colonel said, with a slight husk to her voice. "Casualties both among the rescuers and the victims. Colonel Sheppard is fine, but we have a number of injuries here - both the locals and Atlantis personnel. He's leading them to the infirmary now." She paused, and there was the sound of discussion in the background.

"And losses?"

The control room was holding its collective breath, waiting for the bad news.

"The rescue team has three dead and two stunned." Another background exchange and then the Colonel's voice again, gaining steadiness. "Assorted minor injuries but no serious damage sustained. Of the captured people we found here, seven are dead - drained by the Wraith." A note of distaste entered her voice. "Judging by their dress, four were locals, three were Atlantis personnel." There was a pause. "We'll need a mortuary detail here with stretchers. And someone to cart the Wraith away to any holding cells you have."

"We'll send them in," Elizabeth assured them, looking to Caldwell. He began issuing quiet orders to another Sergeant who'd recently arrived in the city. "How are you, Colonel?"

"I'm fine, Dr. Weir," Carter assured her. "Really." A moment later, she added, "You can let Daniel know that this is the 'I really am fine' fine, and not the 'I'm just saying I'm fine to get him off my back' fine."

Rodney glanced over at Dr. Jackson who had been frowning until then. He half-smiled and shrugged.

"We'll have some personnel over to you as soon as we can get them through the city," Elizabeth was reassuring Colonel Carter.

"They should be able to take the direct route. Colonel Sheppard said something about the city re-enabling thoroughfare through pacified regions before he left for the infirmary."

"We'll keep that in mind, Colonel. Thank you."

"You're welcome, Dr. Weir."

Rodney was already on his feet as Elizabeth terminated the call. He directed Sergeant Pyne to sit at his station so she could keep an eye on the city, but his concern was, most immediately, for Sheppard - and whoever else was with him in the infirmary. Behind him, he could hear Elizabeth giving both Dr. Jackson and Caldwell instructions, and a moment later, they were jogging towards the infirmary.

"Do you think...?" It was only to him that Elizabeth would have dared to voice her concerns over Sheppard.

"He'll be fine," Rodney said immediately. "Probably all ready and rared up to go out a second time."

"Remind me to ask Carson..."

"...to give him a sedative?" Rodney snorted. "He'd just ignore it and keep going."

"Then remind me to get the handcuffs Colonel Caldwell mentioned."

He glanced over his shoulder at her. "Bondage, Elizabeth? Never knew you had it in you."

She flushed, but rolled her eyes at him, and he smirked but said nothing more. He didn't often have the opportunity to tease her. Or the privacy to do so with impunity.

The infirmary was crowded with medical personnel and patients. Various injuries were being tended, and quite a few curtains were drawn around the beds. They were directed to one of the adjoining rooms and threaded their way through the injured and wounded, nodding at the people they recognised, but looking for Sheppard.

Amidst the melee of people and the background hum and chatter of voices in a multitude of dialects, it was relatively easy to pick out one Scottish accent. Carson was expostulating at someone with all the displeasure of a doctor asked to do something of which he steadfastly disapproved.

There weren't too many people reckless enough to brave Carson's considerable displeasure. As one of the personnel originally from the SGC had commented, you didn't piss off the person who'd jam a needle in your butt the next time you needed your immunisation shots. Then again, Sheppard had never worked at the SGC.

"Look, we've still got people out there!"

"Aye. And they're going to be out there a while yet," Carson was saying as Elizabeth and Rodney paused at the door. "You're not going anywhere, Major. Elizabeth gave me strict instructions."

"Oh, she did, did she?" Sheppard's jaw was set in stubborn lines.

"She did. And right now, I wouldn't clear you to sit beside Teyla's bed." Sheppard involuntarily glanced towards the bed where Teyla was laid out, apparently just sleeping. "You're going to lie down and rest. Whether it's with or without a sedative is your choice."

Rodney felt a brief surge of relief at the mention of Teyla's name. One more person accounted for. One less person to mourn. He covered it with his usual defence. "I see that exhaustion hasn't made you any less pugnacious, Sheppard."

Sheppard turned on his heel and glared at them while Carson's face took on an expression that plainly said, 'Oh, thank God.' "I see it hasn't made you any more tactful, McKay."

"See, you're assuming I had tact in the first place." There was a comfort in the familiarity of their verbal parry-and-retort, something to cling to in the face of everything that had happened.

"Of course," the other man retorted. "Silly me."

Elizabeth interrupted them before Rodney could respond. "Colonel. I take it you're okay?"

"I'm fine," he said. "More than can be said for some."

"Teyla?"

Rodney caught the momentary stillness around his team-mate. So, too, did Elizabeth.

"Ford's dead."

Beside him, Elizabeth shut her eyes. Rodney swallowed hard. He hadn't been close to the young lieutenant - not as close as he was to Elizabeth, or Sheppard, or even Carson, Radek, or Teyla - but Ford had been a good man, if occasionally rather more quirky or bossy than Rodney liked. "How?" They owed it to Ford to know how he'd died.

"Drained by the Wraith," said Sheppard tightly. "When we attacked the Wraith, they started killing the hostages. Most fought, but they didn't all make it."

Ford would have fought. That didn't need saying. Rodney looked at the grim regret on his team-mate's face and knew that the death hadn't been nice - not that death ever was.

"Anyone else we know?"

"Not closely. A few of Everett's people - that gunnery sergeant who was making a fuss about our ammo, some of the Athosians, and three of Caldwell's marines."

"And Teyla?" Elizabeth asked.

Rodney glanced over at the Athosian. She seemed peaceful enough, no IV-drip attached to her, only a small monitoring machine. Carson didn't seem too worried about her condition, so she was either beyond his help or not in need of it.

"Teyla's physically fine," Carson said, moving aside as a couple of medical personnel passed by, carrying various medications and injections. "She's better off than many of the others. The Wraith struck to kill, but didn't always manage to finish draining them."

Rodney remembered Gaul's slow death, drained of energy and life, half-embalmed by the Wraith for 'later eating'. The memory had given him more than a few nightmares, where Gaul accused him of stealing not his life but his career. He hadn't seen any people looking like that around here, but then, maybe the Wraith hadn't actually tried to embalm them - just to drain them.

"So we've got personnel...?"

"Half-dead," Carson said, sparing neither himself nor any of his listeners. "Some are in shock, but a few are comatose."

Elizabeth winced, but nodded. "Do you need anything? Personnel, supplies...?"

"If Colonel Caldwell has any personnel with experience in field medicine, they'll be very welcome here," Carson said. "That and a miracle healing device would come in useful."

"Unfortunately, I left my miracle healing device back in the control room," Rodney remarked. "Elizabeth?"

Her look was both amused and exasperated. "You're doing an excellent job, Carson," she said. "Be sure to get some sleep yourself."

The Scottish man smiled briefly. "I'll do my best." He turned to Sheppard. "Now are you going to lie down yourself, or am I going to have to put you under?"

Sheppard looked around, seeking an ally. He found none in Elizabeth's gaze, and Rodney certainly wasn't going to rescue him from this. The man had to be tired. Heck, Rodney was feeling a little on the tired side himself - although he would never admit anything of the sort.

"Can't I stay here?" John gestured to the seat beside Teyla's bed.

Carson shook his head. "There's no space, Major. Besides, you'd be better off somewhere where not so many things will be happening. We'll keep Teyla here just in case, but you'd rest better in your quarters."

He submitted, although reluctantly. He was considerably less pleased when Elizabeth stationed two of Colonel Caldwell's personnel outside his door to make sure he wasn't disturbed. Rodney hid his smirk - although not so swiftly that Sheppard wouldn't see it.

There were times when it was most satisfactory watching Sheppard get his come-uppance.

Of course, his glee was mitigated by the fact that Elizabeth promptly turned on him as they began to walk away from Sheppard's quarters. "Rodney."

"What? Oh, no - not yet."

"You haven't slept for at least as long as Sheppard."

"But I took stimulants!"

"You need rest. Real rest."

Rodney frowned. "You know, I can't be the only one who's tired..."

"One of us has to stay and oversee the city," she said. "You spent most of yesterday working on the chair, and most of last night working on the Gennii bomb."

"And you..." He paused, waggling his finger at her, trying to remember what she'd done. "Okay, so you must have done something."

She tapped her cheek, activating her earpiece. "Carson?"

"Dr. Weir?"

Rodney scowled. He was outgunned and seriously annoyed. "We've got a ZPM all ready and raring to go - and we haven't even tried the full range of possibilities..."

"You can try them after you've gotten a good eight hours of sleep."

"What? That is so unfair!"

She smirked. "Life doesn't come with a 'fair' sticker on the side, Rodney. You get some sleep."

He could tell that she was going to hold her ground on this. Fine. If he was going down, so was she. He thumbed his earpiece on. "Beckett?"

"McKay, I know it's hard for you to understand, but in spite of being the doctor around here, I am not permanently on call!"

The grin they shared was automatic, but McKay had decided something. "I'm about to go and have a lie down. Minus sedative, thank you. However, I want you to check up on Dr. Weir in another two hours. If she's not in bed, then sedate her."

"I am the leader of this expedition, you know." But she was more amused than offended. What was good for the gander was good for the goose.

"Then we'll get Caldwell to send the chief medical officer from the Daedelus down," Rodney said. "Beckett?"

There was a long-suffering sigh at the end of it. "Lord, listen to you two. Rodney, go to bed. Elizabeth, go do whatever you have to do and take a rest in two hours. My medical advice. Now please go away and leave me alone, I'm busy."

Rodney tapped off his earpiece. "Two hours."

Elizabeth smiled, her mouth tilting up on one side in good humour. "I promise."

He waited until she'd gone down the corridor towards the control centre before he headed off towards his room. He'd never have admitted it to her, but the stimulants were wearing off, and he was feeling a little bit tired.

Yes. A sleep would do him good. He'd have the rest of his life to play with a fully-powered Atlantis, after all.

Rodney fell asleep dreaming of the possibilities.

- TBC -