When It Snows (part 4)
Carson and Rodney were both startled awake by Teyla's abrupt cry and then feeling her suddenly tumble back across their outstretched legs. Trying to untangle themselves from encompassing blankets, the physician forced his uncooperative arms to catch her before she attempted to move away while the scientist searched for a flashlight. The inside of the small shelter had grown dim when the spilled liquid extinguished a majority of the fire, leaving a bed of sizzling embers and steaming smoke to cloud the air.
"I got it," Rodney announced with a flick of the switch.
The thin beam of light illuminated Carson with one arm around Teyla's shoulder while his other hand gently pushed her own back from her face. "Let me see, lass," he said patiently, willing his own body to stop shaking long enough to help her. He could feel himself rapidly losing the precious warmth he'd recently acquired and exhaustion pulled at him with a fierce tenacity.
Forcing his hands to cooperate, he tipped her chin back to get a closer look at her face and spotted several small red welts forming across her right cheekbone, one extremely close to her tightly clenched eye. He then examined her hands and discovered more of the same burns scattered across the back of her right wrist.
"Teyla, did you get anything in your eyes?" When she hesitantly shook her head 'no', he visibly sighed in relief. "Can you open your eyes to let me see?"
Slits of dark brown appeared around long damp lashes, and he wasn't sure if the moisture was from the accident or tears. Carefully peeling back each lid, he had her roll her eyes as he searched for further damage and found nothing. "Can you see alright?" he asked when she finally looked to meet his gaze.
She blinked several times before answering him with a nod.
"Rodney, in my bag there's a small tube of burn cream," Carson directed. There were several coughs from the scientist's position behind him and the light wavered before the ointment was dropped into his outstretched hand. Fumbling with the lid, he attempted to squirt a small amount on his fingertip and found himself losing hold of the medication. "Bloody, hell," he murmured, reaching back for it with his shaking hand only to find Rodney picked it up first.
"Let me," the scientist rasped, his voice sounding much worse than earlier. With intricate care, he dabbed each of Teyla's burns with the cooling balm. Once finished, he leaned around her and snagged one of the discarded blankets from moments before. Draping the fabric about her still quivering shoulders, he gave her a reassuring pat on the back. "I'll fix the fire," he whispered hoarsely, "You take care of Carson."
Teyla allowed herself a small smile, appreciating Rodney's simple gesture. Her hands and face stung painfully but the initial shock was beginning to wear off and for the first time she discovered what shambles their little enclosure had become. Smoke drifted lazily though the air and it was several moments before the fire returned to its previous status. MRE's, water bottles, and clothing littered the ground, along with various pieces of broken pottery. But it was the shivering slumped physician beside her that quickly caught her attention. Careful of her injured hand, she stuffed her discarded parka behind her as she assumed Rodney's former position against the tree. With the blanket still pulled around her, she tugged Carson by the sleeve. "Doctor?"
What little strength he'd regained over the past few hours had quickly vanished leaving him even more exhausted. Sliding sideways, he never even realized his head had fallen pillowed on her thigh before he gave in to sleep.
"What Radek wouldn't give for a shot of that," Rodney teased quietly from beside her while spreading the extra blankets back over Carson and tucking his friend in.
They both sat silently and listened to the quiet pop of the fire and the sound of the wind continuing to howl outside around them.
"How long do you think the storm will last?" Teyla finally asked, carding her left hand soothingly through the doctor's disheveled hair.
Rodney sniffled and then coughed. "I don't know. Blizzards can last a few days or just a few hours. Depends on the weather conditions." He sniffled again reaching for the two previously warmed MRE's, tearing the top free and passing one to Teyla, he then set to work on his own. His stomach rolled unpleasantly at the thought of swallowing the macaroni and cheese and he seriously wondered if the thick pasty substance could even make its way past his sore throat. What he wouldn't give for some of the red jello Carson forced him to eat during every single one of his dreaded infirmary stays.
With her hands and face throbbing and a lackluster appetite of her own, Teyla stirred her meal, spearing a small bite and made herself to chew what was labeled 'spaghetti and meat sauce'. She had yet to discover what it was that the Earther's found so enjoyable about the taste. Watching Rodney pick at his dinner also and eat very little, she remembered the medicine Carson told her to give the scientist and reached for the tablets.
"What's this for?" he asked when she passed them to him.
"Carson said you were to take two of each."
He stared at the blister packs before popping two white tablets free and washing them down with a swig of water. The red ones he ignored.
"Are you not going to take the others?"
"I can't, they'll make me sleep."
Teyla's brow furrowed in confusion, "But will they not also make you feel better?"
He passed the acetometaphin back to her. "Not now. You need to take two of these. They'll help with the pain."
Teyla paused before accepting the tablets to study him, and then Carson sleeping on her lap. Resigned to their situation and the need for rest, she acknowledged her own discomfort and swallowed two tablets before shifting against the tree and letting her eyes close. "Do you think Dr. Weir has sent someone to look for us?" she asked quietly.
Rodney stirred the fire, adding several more small branches as he watched the flames hungrily lick over the dry wood. "No, it's not safe. Knowing the way she thinks, she'll wait for the storm to die down before she'll consider letting Sheppard through."
"He will not be happy." When Carson shifted at the sound of her voice, draping an arm over her leg, she rubbed his back lightly until he settled. "We need to return to Atlantis."
"That's an understatement," Rodney grunted between another coughing spell. He could feel the tightness in his chest growing more uncomfortable and the smoke floating about made it damn near impossible for him to breath. In need of fresh air, he made his way over to the entrance and pushed the branch aside, allowing the bitter wind to blow in his face.
It was pitch black outside, the surrounding night filled with the constant falling of large deceptively pretty snowflakes that had piled high around the weighted branches of the tree. All signs of their earlier footprints had long vanished from wind and drifting, leaving no way for anyone to find them even if someone was out there trying. And if he knew Sheppard, it was only a matter of time before the Colonel would attempt a rescue.
"Rodney?"
Teyla's soft call drew his attention back inside and he discovered her watching him curiously. Carson lay curled across her lap, the blankets drawn high around his head with only his closed eyes and nose visible.
She nodded to the dwindling pile of broken branches, "We will need more wood for the fire before morning. Are you well enough or would you like for me to…?" Her question stopped on the tip of her tongue when he scowled at her as he reached for his dried slacks hanging on a nearby limb. Focusing her attention on the huddled figure sleeping against her, she gave the scientist a few moments of privacy to get dressed before looking back up. She hid a smile at the thought of seeing more thermal long underwear in the past few hours than she could have ever imagined. For some reason the new occupants to Atlantis were very reserved when it came to dressing in front of others.
When she dared to look back up, Rodney was once again fully dressed with his parka zipped snug up to his chin and the hood pulled tight; leaving only his eyes to peer back at her.
"Do not go far," Teyla teased and found herself pinned with an annoyed eye roll, followed by a stifled cough. When he pushed back the branch, allowing another blast of frigid air to enter before he disappeared into the inky darkness, she hugged her injured hand tight to her chest in apprehension.
TBC