Thank you, thank you for all the nice reviews. Here is the next chapter, and I promise you, something is going to happen. Dun dun duuuuuun.
Chapter 11:Off-world mishaps
The briefing that morning was bordering on awkward. Every time someone said the word 'uninhabited', John almost winced. Every time Ford spoke, John looked nervously at Elizabeth.
Her composure was solid. Her face never changed, never revealing any emotion. Years of negotiations had taught her to never show anything. John had learned something similar, if captured, never show anything to you enemies. But he hadn't been captured.
"Well, you leave in an hour. I suggest you get yourselves sorted. Dismissed."
The team stood to leave. John moved quickly towards Ford. It wasn't fair, he had to do something. Had to stop him going off world.
"Major, a word please." He stopped dead.
'Damn her', he thought. He waited till the rest of the team had gone and the doors had shut before turning on her.
"What the hell was that for?"
"You were going to tell him." Elizabeth walked across to the table to pick up her files. John grabbed her arm and spun her to face him.
"So? He deserves to know. He's only young."
"We have a deal Major. Now, let go of my arm." John looked carefully at her before letting her go. She was right. He knew that.
"If he dies…"
"If he dies, we'll know you were right and I will never forgive myself! Happy?" For that one moment, her skilfully preserved façade slipped. For one moment, John saw her feelings. She felt the same as him; she didn't want to see Ford die. But, neither of them knew what was going to happen. So, they just had to carry on.
Doctor Weir stood, as she often did when teams went off world, on the balcony over looking the Gate. She smiled and called out, "Come back safe." They all nodded and smiled. As soon as the Gate shut down, Elizabeth gripped the rail tightly.
"Please come back safe." She whispered softly to the silence.
"I spy with my little eye, something beginning with…T"
"Ford, pack it in."
Ford was a little taken aback by the Major's comments, usually there pointless little games were the highlight of very dull missions. He looked across to Teyla, who was also looking confused. Though, for different reasons.
"What is this 'I spy'?"
"It's a game. Someone picks an object out they see, then tells everyone what the first letter is. Then everyone else has to guess. Winner picks a new object." Aiden smiled as Teyla thought about what he had just said.
"I think I see."
"Is it tree Lieutenant?"
"Yes it is Doctor, your turn."
"We are stood in the middle of a forest, tree seems a rather obvious one."
Aiden had to resist the urge to just stick his tongue out at the unenthusiastic scientist.
"Well then," Rodney sighed and looked around thoughtfully, "I spy with my little eye something beginning with…L."
"L?"
"That's what I said Lieutenant."
"Lake." John's answer came from nowhere. He spoke as if in a daydream. Everyone stared at him as he stared at the life signs detector. There was nothing in the immediate vicinity, but he knew they were out there.
"Erm, well done Major. Going to take you turn?" They'd all stopped now and were looking at him. Ford moved forwards, surveying the lake.
"There looks to be a jetty. Maybe there were people here."
"There are people here now." John hid the life signs detector from Ford's inquisitive eyes. There may have been nothing on it, but John knew different.
"How do you know?"
"Life signs detector." Aiden smiled and carried on walking towards the lake.
"Ford. Get back here!" John yelled as Aiden continued towards the jetty. He turned around smiling.
"Look, there's no one around." Teyla watched Aiden closely; she couldn't understand why he was walking out there. What if it was a trap? However, what he had said was true, there was no one around. Only an eerie silence, soon to be disturbed.
"That's not what the life signs detector says." John watched him anxiously. This was playing out far too similarly for his liking.
'Come back. Please come back.' His thoughts urged Ford to listen, but to no prevail.
Aiden continues to walk along the jetty. He started strutting, emphasising every step. He was turned away from the rest of them, but there was a smug smile lighting his face.
'Nothings wrong, he's just paranoid.' Aiden couldn't help but smile to himself at his thoughts. He wasabout to turn around. To shout a cry of victory.
A sharp pain erupted from his shoulder. He looked down at it. From it was protruding an arrow. The pain made Aiden stumble backwards. He began falling, headfirst, into the lake.
John watched the arrow hit, and then went straight into soldier mode. He had to help him. Pulling off his weapons he began handing them to the gaping Rodney and fearful looking Teyla.
"Major Sheppard, you will be hit if you go out there." Looking straight at him, Teyla tried to make him listen. But he was beyond listening.
"I don't care. We don't leave people to die. Just aim and shoot in the direction they're firing if you have to." Teyla wanted to stop him, but just nodded mute support.
Rodney reached out, and lay a hand on his arm, "Good luck Major."
With a nod, John burst through the tree line and ran for the lake. Arrows flew out from the east shore of the lake. Angry cries followed every missed arrow. Rapid gunfire dampened the noise from the natives as Teyla and Rodney tried to give John the cover he needed.
At the edge of the lake, he dived straight in. The cold water stunned him for a second, before he continued down. Ford was floating just a little way down, blood flowing from the wound. His eyes were shut, but when John grabbed him round the waist his eyes flew open. For a minute he struggled, trying to escape, until he realised who it was. Then, the pair pushed up in unison, trying to break the surface. But Ford was cold and getting weaker, he soon passed out again.
It took a while, but eventually, John reached the surface and desperately dragged Aiden towards the shore.
"Teyla! Rodney! One of you help me!" For a moment there wasnothing. Part of John wanted desperately to hear that voice telling him to wake up. But there isn't.
Instead Teyla appeared, running down towards him. Between the pair of them they support Ford's weight and dragged him back towards cover.
"He's got a pulse, and he's breathing." John breathed a huge sigh of relief. They weren't safe yet though.
"I believe the natives are beginning to close in on our position." Teyla looked around nervously even as she spoke. Rodney looked close to becoming a gibbering wreck, but he held strong.
"We have to head for the Gate."
"I know that Rodney. One of you has to help me lift him, the other lay down fire to the rear." They looked at each other and through silent consent they agreed. Within a few minutes they were moving quickly towards the Gate. Rodney and John supported the unconscious Aiden whilst Teyla made sure that the natives stayed back.
"Teyla, go ahead. Dial the Gate and tell them we need a medical team."
"What about…"
"Just do it Teyla!" John yelled at her. Teyla nodded and ran on ahead.
For a moment there was silence, before Rodney spoke.
"Dream this?"
"Yes." John replied sharply. He didn't want to discuss this now. They could see the Gate just ahead of them. With a final burst of speed they made it just as Teyla got off the radio.
"They said they are waiting for us. Doctor Weir sounds very worried." John looked away guiltily as he helped get Ford ready to go through.
Something clicked in Rodney's mind.
"This morning. All that awkward stuff. Her yelling at you at the end. She knows, doesn't she? She knows about this dream. Why didn't you tell us?" Rodney turned on him, which was hard considering he was still holding Ford.
"I swore I wouldn't tell Ford, there was no time to tell you and Teyla what was going on. Anyway, what if you had told him? Then I would have broken my oath."
"Major, this could have been much more serious. We had the right to know. We are you team members too!"
"Doctor! Major! I suggest we continue this back in the city, once we know Lieutenant Ford is going to be safe." They stopped to look at Teyla, before nodding agreement.
Quickly, they all took a deep breath before stepping through the Gate.