Don't Drink the Water…part twelve
Rodney ran through the corridors of Atlantis, his way littered with bodies. Dead bodies. Blood slicked the floor and a couple of times he lost his balance as he skidded through a pool of it. Everyone was dead. Beckett was dead, Zelenka, Kavanagh. Everyone. Rodney was beginning to believe he was the only one left alive when he heard a gunshot. He veered to his left and kept running, making his way to the Gateroom where he skidded to a halt.
Lying on the platform was Dr. Weir's dead body. Standing over her, holding a gun, was Sheppard. Rodney swallowed hard, forcing back the bile that was creeping up from his gut. He locked eyes with the major. "What have you done?"
"I saved them," Sheppard whispered. He was pale and spattered with blood. "I saved them, Rodney. They were going to die anyway. So I saved them."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Rodney stumbled up the steps. "They're dead! All of them! You killed everyone!"
Sheppard moved to the stairs and sat down, heavily, the gun still in his right hand but hanging between his knees. "They were going to die anyway, Rodney. The Wraith are coming, and they would have sucked the life out of everyone. Ask Sumner...this is better." Before Rodney could respond Sheppard waved his hand and gave a short bark of cold laughter. "Oops...nevermind. He's dead too. Yeah...I killed him too."
Rodney took a step closer. "I'm still alive, major."
"I'm sorry." Sheppard's voice was broken.
"Sorry?" Rodney echoed. He didn't understand.
Sheppard lifted his head and his eyes were dark and shiny. "I did this, Rodney. I woke them up. I killed everyone. My fault."
Rodney didn't know what to say...or what to do. He opened his mouth to say something, anything, but Sheppard was rising to his feet, gun at the ready. Rodney knew he was going to die. "So...now it's my turn? You're going to save me too?"
"I wish...I wish I could," Sheppard whispered.
"Major --" Rodney began, but he broke off when he realized what Sheppard had planned. The Beretta was now pressed to John's temple, finger curled over the trigger. "NO!" Rodney screamed, leaping forward. Then everything went black.
OoO
Carson was sitting between Sheppard and McKay's beds. Trying to keep an eye on both, but he was tired and had dozed off a bit when the alarms on the heart monitors went off. Both monitors. Carson called for a nurse even as he checked on Sheppard's vitals. A nurse ran in and didn't ask questions. She simply did the same for McKay. "What the hell!" Carson hissed, as he went to work on his friends.
An hour later he sat in his office, facing Dr. Weir. "I don't know what happened," Carson admitted. "All I can tell you is that they both appear to be in a semi-coma."
"You said their heart monitors went off at the same time?" Elizabeth prompted.
"Aye. Strangest thing, really."
Elizabeth rubbed her forehead. "So what happens now? When will they wake up?" She asked when because she wouldn't accept anything less. Sheppard and McKay had to get better. She needed them both.
Carson sighed. "All we can do now is play the waiting game. Sorry."
"Keep me posted," Elizabeth requested, then she left the room.
Carson went back to his patients, offering a silent prayer as he kept vigil.
OoO
John woke up first, feeling weak and disoriented, but Beckett was there, giving him a sip of water and smiling at him. After a few minutes John was able to ask what happened. He listened to Carson's explanation and blew off the good doctor's questions about what he remembered by mumbling he was tired. Which he was. John then curled up on his side, facing Rodney's bed, and closed his eyes. But he wasn't sleeping. He was listening to Rodney breathe.
An hour later, Rodney woke up. He reacted much the way John had, and said just about as much. He played the tired card as well then curled up facing Sheppard. "You okay?" Rodney asked.
"Fine," John replied, then he shifted onto his back and called for Carson. "Can I get a shower?"
"If you don't mind company," Carson agreed. "You won't be steady on your feet."
John shrugged. "That's fine."
Rodney watched them go. When the nurse brought him some soup he took one swallow then made to set it aside. He wasn't hungry. But when she glared at him and threatened to have Beckett insert a feeding tube, Rodney finished off the mug. Then he waited for the major to return.
John avoided Rodney's gaze as he settled back into bed. He closed his eyes.
"Ready for your shower?" Carson asked Rodney.
"Sounds good." Rodney accepted Beckett's help and headed off. He felt better as he slid back into bed. He looked over at Sheppard. The major appeared to be asleep. So Rodney closed his own eyes, but he didn't want to sleep. He didn't want to remember.
OoO
Two days later they were released. The toxin was out of their systems. No more hallucinations or episodes of any kind. They were released to their quarters for twenty-four hours, then they could go back to light duty.
Rodney went to his room and stayed about ten minutes. Then he headed straight for Sheppard's room. He knocked loudly. No response. "Major...you can open the damn door or I will!" It was not an idle threat and they both knew it. The door slid open and Rodney stepped inside. He saw Sheppard on the bed, a book in his lap. "We need to talk."
"We've done nothing but talk for the past two days," John countered, quietly. He set the book aside and slid his legs over the side of the bed.
"We chatted about the weather and math and Hockey versus football. We even chatted about food. But we did NOT Talk!" Rodney snarled. Then he folded his hands over his chest and glared at Sheppard. "But we are going to talk now."
John ran his fingers through his hair, making it stand on end more than usual. "What do you want to talk about, Rodney?" His tone revealed that he was resigned to this.
Rodney relaxed a bit. "What did you dream about?"
"I don't remember."
"Liar!" Rodney moved closer. "What did you dream about, major? You might as well just tell me, because I'm not leaving until you do."
John glared at him. "I didn't dream!" he snapped. "We were tripping, remember? Stoned out of our minds. WE didn't dream, we hallucinated!" Now he was standing and almost yelling.
Rodney held his ground. "Fine! Then tell me what the fuck you hallucinated about!" He waited but John just continued to glare at him. Rodney exhaled loudly. "Fine...I'll tell you what I hallucinated and I'm betting it was the same trip you were on."
"Get out." John pushed Rodney towards the door.
"You killed everyone!" Rodney hissed, as he dug in his heels and pushed back. "You killed everyone but me and then you shot yourself!" He was angry and shaking and he could see that Sheppard was shaking as well. And he watched the major grow pale, then Sheppard stumbled back and dropped down onto his bed.
John rubbed his hands over his face then whispered. "So...I guess I projected my guilt to you?"
Rodney felt his anger fade away and he moved to sit down next to Sheppard. "Yeah...I guess so. So...um...you want to talk about it?" He felt awkward and uncertain in making the offer, but he knew Sheppard needed to deal with this and he wanted to help. "Cause...you know what happened...the Wraith waking up and all...that's not your fault, Major. It would have happened anyway."
"Yeah...thanks for saying that, Rodney." John sounded unconvinced as he pushed up to his feet. "Look...um...I have to go." And then he was out the door a heartbeat later.
"Shit..." Rodney whispered, to the empty room. He stood up but then he sat back down again. He wasn't going to let Sheppard run away from this. Friends helped friends through the rough patches and Rodney was going to figure out how this friends thing worked. Whether Sheppard liked it or not.