Stuck!

Chapter Six: A Quiet Moment

"Damn it." Kate Heightmeyer leaned back, banging her head lightly but repeatedly against the massive walls of Atlantis. This should have been a breeze. How many times had she been called up on to deal with traumatized children? How many cases did she have under her belt? How many times had she babysat for her sister's twins? She had survived those two through their 'terrible twos,' their 'terroristic threes' and their 'frightening fours' before joining the S.G.C. and then committing to the team destined for the Pegasus Galaxy. Of all the things she'd imagined dealing with…a melon-headed four-year-old with the mind of a 37-year-old genius hadn't been one of them.

She pushed away from the wall and tried to access the small storage room's door again. Nothing. "Rodney," she growled and stomped in place despite knowing she was sinking to his level. How had she let him lure her into a damn closet anyway and how the hell had he gotten out?

Scratching her head, Kate debated whether or not she should radio Dr. Weir and inform her that she'd lost her charge and was locked in the closet, but she chose to wait. Hopefully, she could get out of here and find McKay before he got into too much trouble. He was still Rodney McKay after all, she was certain he wouldn't do anything stupid.

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John hurried through the hallways leading towards the infirmary, he wanted to see Teyla and update her on what was going on, but he was also pretty worried about Rodney. It unnerved him not to know where the mini-genius was and he wondered if maybe he shouldn't have left Heightmeyer to handle McKay alone. Somehow, knowing Rodney as he did, Sheppard was certain that McKay's last comment in the conference room had been a threat. A child with McKay's knowledge loose in Atlantis? They were in serious trouble.

Knowing he was acting a bit paranoid, John went ahead and ordered a thorough check of the jumper they'd be taking off world. He wouldn't put it past Rodney to try and stow away.

Pausing as he entered the infirmary, John took a deep breath, preparing himself for what he'd find inside, for facing Teyla. As freaked out as he was about Rodney…Teyla's transformation scared the hell out of him.

Though the area where Teyla was resting was still dimly lit, Carson was already up and tending to the Athosian again. John could tell from the doctor's posture that he was still hurting. Sheppard approached quietly and tried not to think about how much Teyla seemed resemble the 'old' version of Weir. Common sense told him that Teyla was in much better health in her current state than Elizabeth's ten-thousand-year-old double had been and yet, as he watched his friend respond slowly and stiffly to Beckett's ministrations, he couldn't see a huge difference.

"Doctor. Teyla." His greeting was quieter than he intended but it seemed to fit the somber setting.

"Colonel," Carson answered without looking up from the blood pressure cuff around Teyla's thin arm.

"Colonel Sheppard." Teyla's voice was raspy and he could sense the effort it took for her to sound as strong as she did. "Ronon told me you are going back."

"Yeah." John stepped closer and took her gnarled, wrinkled hand in his. This was the same hand that a day ago had wielded the stick that beat his ass in the gym. "The others are going to study the device and find a means to fix it so we can get you and McKay back to your normal selves again. Once Zelenka and McKay get their hands on it, you know they'll figure it out." He saw the doubt sweep across her face before she smiled weakly. Her grip on his hand tightened infinitesimally.

"Halling was here," she revealed.

John raised an eyebrow.

"Major Lorne brought him back with him when he returned from the mainland to attend the meeting," Carson filled in as he ripped at the Velcro and removed the cuff from Teyla's arm. From the Doctor's tone, John wasn't sure Halling's visit had been a good thing. He wondered if Halling was mad at him for not telling the Athosian people about Teyla's condition when he'd been on the mainland with Rodney, but he'd discussed it with Weir and Carson before flying to the mainland and together they had decided that until they had known more about Teyla's prognosis, they hadn't wanted to cause any panic among the Athosians.

"And?"

"He is preparing for…" Teyla's breath caught and she choked on her words. Carson and John both stepped closer to support her.

"Do you want the oxygen again?" Beckett asked encouragingly but Teyla shook her head stubbornly.

"No," she gasped. She focused on John but pulled her hand free of his and gestured to the table near her bed.

John followed her movements and took in the small tray with the three vessels and knew instantly what it symbolized. He remembered Weir's report about her encounter with the Athosians when his team had been stuck in the event horizon. They were vessels used in the ritual prayer for the dying. How the hell could Halling be so insensitive? He suppressed his urge now to pick the tray up and fling it against the far wall. Instead, he recaptured Teyla's hand in his and made sure she was looking at him.

"You listen to me, Teyla. We will figure this out," he said confidently. "But I need you to do something for me."

Teyla's soft crinkled features hardened into the warrior he remembered. "Anything," she whispered.

John nodded and exchanged a look of concern with Carson. "I need you to fight this. Tell Halling he can either wait to perform the ritual or to shove it up his ass, I don't care, but don't you give up on us, Teyla. I know you're tired," he acknowledged, careful to keep his voice even and not betray the emotions that fought to escape. "But you are also the strongest woman I know. We just need a little time, can you give us that?" He watched apprehensively as she processed what he was asking, weighing her Athosian beliefs against her faith in him and the scientists on Atlantis.

"I will try," she answered finally and he could hear the conviction in her voice. She would fight as long and as hard as she was able.

"That's all I ask." John flashed a crooked grin. "I'll come see you as soon as we get back."

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Teyla watched as John talked privately with Carson a minute before leaving the room again. She wondered why he hadn't mentioned Dr. McKay's condition at all and hoped it meant that Rodney was in good health at least. Turning her head slowly, she let her gaze rest on the ceremonial urns beside the bed. Part of her wanted to be ready to face what appeared to be inevitable and the other part wanted to believe in Colonel Sheppard. Could they really reverse this process? This was the very nightmare she had lived with since she was old enough to understand what the Wraith were. Mere hours ago, she'd been strong and healthy and now…now there was barely enough strength left in her to breathe. Was this what her father had felt? Had the Wraith fed on him at once or had they dragged it out, aging him over time? Had he known these aches and pains? Had he felt the same fear, that any minute now, she wouldn't be able to draw another breath? Could she keep her promise to Sheppard?

She felt more than saw Halling step from the shadowed section of the infirmary. He held an unlit candle and from the scowl on his face she knew that he had been lurking long enough to hear her conversation with the Colonel.

She didn't want to face the judgmentshe read in Halling's eyes.

"I brought this for you." He held up the candle. "But they will not allow me to light it."

Teyla watched as he gracefully placed the candle next to the tray of urns, then turned his focus on her.

"You would forsake your beliefsfor them?" he asked, pinning her with the intensity of his question.

Teyla suddenly felt as old as she knew she looked. "Do you not want me to hope for a cure?" shequestioned back.

"There is no cure from a wraith feeding."

"I was not fed upon," Teyla snapped defensively at his bluntness.

Halling shook his head and stepped closer to the bed. "There is no difference in what I see before me."

Anger stirred within her at his brutality. Why could he not simply understand? She just wanted a chance to live! "Then you are blind," she hissed, but even as she spoke she felt her strength draining. She blinked back tears of frustration. How could she be so weak in such a small amount of time?

Halling gently placed his hand on her forehead. "I will wait, Teyla Emmagan. But I will not abandon our beliefs."

"I am not asking you to," she assured as her eyes grew to heavy to keep open. It was harder to breathe now and her anger boiled with no outlet. She was stronger than this.

"When they tarry, I will return with others for prayer."

She could hear Carson's lilting voice as Halling's faded and felt Carson's warm, reassuring grip on her wrist. She felt a sudden rush of air and her struggle to breathe seemed to ease a bit. Letting herself block out Halling and Carson, she focused on John's earlier words and her promise to him. She would fight. She would not give up just because the battle had become fierce and tiring. She would hold on for them…and for herself.

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A/N: I thought I'd heard something banging around in the back of the bunker, but it was only a muskrat. All is still well. It is time to leave me another review.