Chapter Twenty

Both Teyla and Sheppard scrambled to catch McKay before he hit the deck but they were too late, he rolled to one side and his body went completely limp. Teyla knelt down next to him, fingers immediately searching for his carotid artery in order to feel his pulse, "He is breathing but it is very weak."

Sheppard looked down at him with widened eyes, one minute he was fine and the next thing he knew this was happening. Something was definitely not right with this equation, he knelt down next to her and his eyes went to the rash and he tapped his headset. "This is Sheppard," he said into it. "We need Beckett down here. Now!" Teyla looked at him with a grim expression, before placing a hand on McKay's forehead and another on his chest. Sincerely hoping that there was nothing seriously wrong with the Canadian doctor.

--

Before they knew it, Beckett arrived at McKay's lab; face clearly flustered from rushing from wherever it was he had been when Weir contacted him. Beckett took a double take at the sight of Sheppard and Teyla both kneeling over McKay, more specifically at the way the man was lying on the floor. "What happened?" he asked, motioning for them both to move out the way while he got to work and pulling the stethoscope from around his neck.

"We don't actually know," Sheppard answered vaguely.

"He seemed to be staring at us," Teyla replied taking over for him. "As if he were looking straight through us."

"And he did look a little unsteady on his feet before he collapsed but he assured us he was all right," Sheppard concluded quickly, putting his hands on his hips.

Beckett looked at them both then knelt down next to McKay, lifting up the bottom of his shirt and moving the stethoscope up to McKay's chest in order to listen to his breathing. "Good respiration," he muttered to himself as he listened in and removed it, putting it back round his neck while reaching for his pocket torch. Using his thumb he quickly but gently lifted up McKay's eyelids and shined the light in. The pupils were responsive; he replaced the torch and checked the man for head injuries. "Can you tell me anymore than that? Anything?" Beckett asked looking up to them.

A medical team came in with a gurney, Beckett moved back for them to get McKay onto it. As soon as he got him to the infirmary he would be able to get some more answers as from the looks he was getting from Sheppard and Teyla, they were about as clueless as he was.

"Not really," Sheppard answered his tone somewhat regretful as Teyla simply shook her head in silence.

The medical doctor looked from them and back to McKay as they finally strapped him in and brought it to waist height. "Let's get him down to…"

"Stop," Beckett ordered, as he rushed over to them and took a look at McKay's exposed arm and the rash. This shouldn't have happened, certainly not a second time and it left him with daunting questions. He pulled the sleeve up some more to see that it had infact spread beyond the bandage where it had never had contact with the skin. His blue eyes glazed over and became distant as he contemplated.

Sheppard stared at Beckett to see the man completely confused, it had something to do when he saw the rash. "McKay said that you said it was an allergic reaction."

"Aye," Beckett said swallowing slightly, not making eye contact with Sheppard. "I thought that at first." He took a step back from the gurney and allowed the team to take him down to the infirmary. "Now I'm not so sure," he admitted.

Weir moved pressed herself back against the wallframe as a stampede of medics with a gurney passed her by. She frowned slightly to see that its occupant was McKay, Beckett following them close behind. "Carson," she said gently. "What happened?"

"It would seem Rodney collapsed," Beckett answered.

"Collapsed?" she repeated folding her arms. "Why?"

"To be completely honest with you, I have no idea." Beckett had a painful expression on his face, one of anguish for not paying more attention to McKay's condition, he should've known it was something more than a mere allergic reaction but that's how the symptoms presented themselves. "But I intend to find out." He took a look down the corridor. "Excuse me," he said politely before literally shoving past her in pursuit of the team.

Elizabeth watched him walk down the corridor at a fast pace then actually moved inside McKay's lab where she found Teyla and Sheppard both staring at one another in silence. "Rodney collapsed," Sheppard said grimly.

"I gathered that much," she replied without humour. "You were with him?"

"Up until the point where he hit the deck," Sheppard responded taking his hands of his hips and shoving them into his pockets. "I don't think Beckett has any idea what it could be."

"He'll find out John."

"Could it be some sort of contagion?" Teyla enquired. "Something he picked up on our visit?"

"Wouldn't we be showing some sort of signs?" Sheppard asked her.

"It's certainly something to get checked out," Weir responded with an authoritative tone, all teams were checked out medically when they arrived back from going off world but maybe Beckett missed something. That or it was just isolated to McKay solely. "I'll go see Carson and get a report." Both Sheppard and Teyla continued staring at where McKay had fallen. "Rodney's going to be okay."

Sheppard looked back at her, a pessimistic expression on his face but he gave her a grim nod. Teyla simply folded her arms and narrowed her eyes, never letting her eyes leave the spot. Some regret that there was nothing that she could've done to help, knowing that there was nothing to do. As Major Sheppard had said, Doctor McKay had been acting very out of character recently and this just contributed more to that theory. "I am sure Doctor Beckett will know what to do," Teyla finally answered, her eyes ticking up to Weir. "He is the most qualified healer I have ever met."

"I'm sure he will," Weir said, her own grim tone betraying her. Without another look, she turned round and made her way to the infirmary.