A/N:

What's gonna happen? Argh! Thanks to everyone joining in!

Pudsey is the yellow teddy bear mascot of BBC Children in Need - LOL.

Chapter Eight

Sheppard stared in horror as McKay and Wex were swept into the churning muddy torrent and disappeared from sight. Before he had a chance to think, he heard a puddlejumper coming swooping up the hillside below him, and he heard a crackle in his ear, and a voice calling him by name.

Standing up swiftly, Sheppard looked at the approaching 'jumper. "Pudsey? Is that you? Get your hairy ass up here as fast as you can, Sergeant! Pick up the boy on the other side from me, now!" There only came a growl in reply.

Through the front screen of the 'jumper, he saw the great bear of a man with a shock of hair like straw, in the pilot's chair. Pudsey gave Sheppard a wave before spinning the 'jumper on a dime, rear hatch opening, as it came to hover near Jinto. Without another thought, Sheppard flung himself off the path and into the bushes below, heading downhill for the river as fast as he could.

As the 'jumper lifted away from the ground, Jinto on board, the pilot scanned the other side of the chasm.

"Where the hell is the Colonel? Oh, great, I lost the boss. I am so stuffed."

0o0o0

The voice of Teyla reached Sheppard's ears. "Dr Beckett is with Halling and Myro. They are…" she paused, "Colonel, I can see a body coming down the gully."

Crap. Sheppard could hear the blood pounding in his ears as he slid and ran through the rain towards her.

"No, wait. I can see Wex. Dr McKay is holding onto him. They are going to be swept into the river."

"I'm coming down, Teyla. Is there any way to get to them?" Sheppard was breathing hard as he stumbled down the last hundred feet.

Sheppard arrived at the riverbank to find Teyla down on some rocks at the water's edge, shouting to two Marines on the far bank, by a 'jumper. He could see McKay flailing a little in the water, as he propelled himself and the boy in an attempt to leave the current. Sheppard could only sigh with relief as he saw they were both conscious and, well, there. The Marines anchored Ronon who had stepped into the river and reached out to pull at McKay as he was drifting past in the fast water. It was a close thing, but they got them, and one heave from Ronon was enough to have McKay on his feet, Wex still grasped tightly.

To Sheppard, it seemed like an eternity watching them struggle out of the river. The feeling of still being on the wrong side was almost unbearable. The rain finally letting up was no comfort.

McKay seemed to lean heavily in the arms of Ronon. It was as if being so near to safety had caused his limbs to turn to lead. The Marines managed to finally prise Wex from McKay, and get the boy up the bank. Ronon was steadying McKay as the scientist waited for the strength to haul himself out of the water, and it looked in the end as if Ronon did most of the work. Finally, Ronon dragged himself up onto the grass, and lay down where he was, his mission completed.

Pudsey's 'jumper opened behind the Colonel, and a voice inside called out. "Need a ride?"

Teyla and Sheppard rushed into the rear of the 'jumper. "Get me over there, Sergeant. I've been on the wrong side of the river too long."

TBC

A/N: There's more to come, looks like you'll get comfort to go with the hurt after all...