Thanks for the encouragement so far. This is such a rush. I actually have most of the story written out, it just takes me a while to type it. I'll type and post as fast as I can. Hint: Shep's in real trouble this chapter.
The Long Trip Home - Chapter 4
Seven hours into the flight, Rodney McKay was snoring loudly. He had been snoring ever louder for several hours now. At first Sheppard found it highly annoying. Once he had Teyla poke the scientist in an effort to get him to stop. The resulting verbal barrage kept them from disturbing the man when the snoring resumed. It was just easier to listen to the snoring.
After a while, Sheppard began to take comfort in the sound. It meant that Rodney was getting some much needed sleep. It eventually gave him something to focus on beside the white hot pain now stabbing in his hip and side. It was a beast, growing and spreading inside him. Warm pain spilled over into his belly and made his stomach lurch. He swallowed hard against the acid taste that crept up into the back of his throat. His arm was throbbing and every muscle in his body seemed to ache. His eyelids seemed to have taken on the weight of the world and his head continued to throb relentlessly. It was getting increasingly hard to hold his eyes open. Seven hours of sitting had made him stiffen to the point he wasn't sure he could move.
He looked down. He hadn't realized he was gripping the controls so tightly. His knuckles were white and his fingers were going numb. He focused on the snoring. I can do this. He tried to take a deep breath to help him relax, but only succeeded in sending a wave of pain through his ribs. Nausea threatened to overcome him. He began to feel dizzy. He was going to pass out.
"Teyla?" he called softly. He wasn't sure if she heard him. She was currently in the back of the jumper and he hadn't been able to project his voice very far. He felt a hand on his shoulder.
"Major?" Her touch grounded him and helped him focus as the world spun and the fog began to move in.
"I think you better wake up McKay. Now."
Teyla had been quietly straightening up the chaos left in the jumper by the wraith's ransacking. It was more an attempt to ward off boredom than a desire for order. Her CO had spoken so softly, she had barely heard him. As she appeared by his side, she was taken aback. His condition had obviously grown much worse while she busied herself in the back. A thin sheen of sweat covered his face, which was ghostly pale. His breathing was heavy and irregular and sounded somewhat ragged. He hung onto the controls with what Aiden Ford would undoubtedly refer to as a death grip.
She didn't question his instructions or ask him how he felt. The pain he felt was evident in his expression. Teyla hurried back to Dr. McKay. At some point, he had traded in snoring for mumbling incoherently. He seemed to be dreaming.
"Dr. McKay," she said as she lightly touched his shoulder.
"Gaul, NO!" McKay sat bolt upright, almost smacking their heads together. He was panting heavily as his eyes darted around, trying to get his bearings.
"It's Teyla, Dr. McKay. We are safe in the jumper," she said in a soothing voice, placing her hand gently on his forearm. He focused on her voice and the touch of her hand, his breathing slowly coming back under his control.
"Hey," he said, trying to sound calm. "My turn to drive?"
"Dr. McKay, are you all right?"
"Fine. Never better. Weird dreams," he said, waving his hand. He paused a second, noticing Teyla's grim expression. His fake smile dissolved. "What's wrong?"
"I believe that Major Sheppard is injured more seriously than we first believed. He is asking that you take over the controls."
A shudder of fear briefly flittered through McKay. John Sheppard was asking for someone else to fly his ship? What's worse was that he was actually asking him to fly the ship. Something was definitely wrong. McKay jumped to his feet and immediately began swaying. Teyla reached out to support him.
"Wow! Major head rush," he exclaimed as he put his hand to his head. He steadied quickly. "Okay, I'm good." He immediately cringed. He was hanging around Sheppard too much.
Teyla cocked her head at him. She had noticed. "Sorry! I guess our resident flyboy is staring to rub off on me." Teyla only smiled.
As they walked toward the cockpit, they both noticed Sheppard's head bent forward with his chin on his chest. "Crap!" exclaimed McKay. If Sheppard was sleeping at the controls, he really was in bad shape.
At Rodney's voice, Sheppard's head jerked up, causing him to yelp in pain. The ship lurched to one side as he inadvertently jerked on the controls. "McKay! Don't do that," he complained as he righted the ship. Teyla and McKay looked at each other in relief. McKay slid into the copilots seat and Teyla took up position behind Sheppard.
"Hate to wake you from your beauty sleep. Obviously you need it," Sheppard said slowly. He felt like his tongue was swollen and briefly wondered if his speech was slurred. He could barely see through the mounting red haze that clouded his vision. His insides screamed and the nausea kept rising up into his throat. He wished he had bypassed his last meal. Huh! Last meal. He didn't much like the sound of that.
"That's okay," answered McKay. "I'll catch up when we get back to Atlantis. Besides, I'm obviously WAY ahead of you."
"Funny," muttered Sheppard.
Sheppard's radio chirped. Apparently Ford had seen the ship's sideways lurch. "Major, are you okay? Please respond."
McKay tapped his radio link. "We're okay Ford. Just changing drivers."
"Can you stand?" asked McKay, watching the face of his friend closely.
"Not sure." Talking hurt, so he was keeping his replies short. "Getting stiff."
Rodney glanced at his watch. "Seven hours of sitting in one place can do that to you. Okay, here's the plan," he said as he leaned close to Sheppard. "I'll take the contols while you slip out of the seat. Teyla can help you to the back. Tell me when you're ready."
Sheppard leaned away from McKay slightly and made a face. "Jeez Rodney, not so close. I thought you were going to kiss me for a minute."
McKay jerked upright in his seat, rolled his eyes, and sighed heavily. "You are SUCH a pervert, Major. If you're not careful, YOU will be the one put out to walk home."
Teyla was at a loss for words. They kept threatening to make each other walk, and yet clearly it was impossible for anyone to walk back to Atlantis. They could be so-o-o-o-o infuriating.
Sheppard's head began to roll slightly to one side. He was losing consciousness. They had to move now.
"Major, are you ready?" McKay asked.
Sheppard's head came up and steadied once again. "I'm good."
McKay felt guilty when he almost laughed out loud. "Yeah, right." he replied sarcastically. He leaned over Sheppard and took hold of the controls. "Got it."
Sheppard let go of the contols and slid out of the seat toward his left and McKay slid into the seat from his right. As soon as he got to his feet, his legs began to buckle. Teyla, expecting this response, was already providing support. He staggered a step or two as waves of dizziness, pain, and nausea washed over him. The vomiting began about the same time his knees hit the floor and continued until long after his stomach was empty. His ribs felt as though white hot explosions were ripping him apart inside. He gasped for air, feeling like he was suffocating. He briefly wondered if it was possible to turn your stomach inside out. Wasn't there some animal that did that --- fed by throwing up their stomach onto their food? Starfish, maybe? He should have paid attention in Biology.
"Major Sheppard, can you walk?" His mind snapped back to the present. As he brought one hand up to wipe his mouth, he noticed it was shaking. That's pretty much how he felt all over.
"I think so," he said weakly. "Sorry." He wanted to say more, but couldn't. If he lived through this, McKay was going to kill him. The smell was already beginning to flow through the jumper and they had hours left to go. Yeah, he thought as he struggled to his feet. McKay was definitely going to kill him.
Teyla managed to get Sheppard on his feet and then helped him stagger to the back compartment. His head continued to swim and his stomach continued to churn. He just wanted to lay down.
McKay was swallowing and breathing shallowly through his mouth in an effort to supress his gag reflex. "Is he okay?" he said loudly, unable to see their progress behind him. He didn't dare turn around.
Teyla helped the major sit on the bench of seats and then lay back on his left side. The pressure on his injured arm was uncomfortable, but he knew he couldn't handle any pressure on his right side. He groaned in pain as the movement produced stabbing pain in his side and abdomen.
"I'm sorry, Major," she said gently, as she rolled up her jacket and placed it beneath his head. She remembered another time she had carried out that same attempt at making the major more comfortable. "Can I get you anything?"
"Water," he mumbled, eyes closed tightly against the mounting waves of pain.
Teyla got a canteen and gently lifted Major Sheppard's head. She slowly tipped the mouth of the canteen to his lips, aware that she shouldn't let him have very much. When she was sure he had gotten a few mouthfuls, she took it away. "That's enough for now."
He moaned softly, having never opened his eyes. She thought she heard him try to say thanks. "You're welcome," she said back to him.
Now that he was lying down and still, the dizziness was subsiding a little. The drink helped soothe his raw throat somewhat. He was so tired. He tried to open his eyes, but couldn't. His head, arm, hip, and side throbbed with a life all their own., the pain roared in his ears. He just wanted it to go away...just for a while...so he could rest. So tired. Slowly, surely, consciousness began to slip away. And he was glad.
McKay was impatiently waiting on Teyla to answer him about the major's condition. "Hello? Am I alone here?"
"No, Dr. McKay, you are not alone. Major Sheppard is now resting in the back."
"How is he?"
She looked at the ;ale form laying on the bench. A thin film of sweat lined his brow and yet she thought she saw him shiver. "Not well, I'm afraid. We better contact Atlantis."