SILENT SACRIFICE...part 8

Four days passed by slowly. John found himself checking the sky, willing someone to appear, if only from the force of his will. He was beginning to lose hope that anyone would come. Rodney was already pronouncing them dead and buried as far as Atlantis was concerned. He was starting to give up and it was affecting his health.

So John had pushed Rodney into helping him take care of Ronon. The Satedan had finally gone two days without his fever coming back, but it had left him weakened. So while John was gone fetching food and water, he placed Rodney in charge of caring for Ronon. Luckily, Rodney took the responsibility seriously. It helped ease the burden for John a bit.

He wasn't feeling so hot. He had put off the trip for more water for two days because he felt sick and his head was killing him. It had been hard keeping up a front for Rodney and Ronon. Harder still to pretend he was eating when just the sight of food made him want to retch. He made due by drinking water, and sometimes it felt like he was sucking it down constantly. But, weirdly enough, it wasn't making him pee all that much. Vaguely he felt that should worry him, but he felt too lethargic to try and work up any genuine concern.

Today it took John longer than usual to reach the stream. He had lost track of the direction twice. At one point he must have passed out because he woke up, the sun scorching his skin, to find himself face down on the baked ground. It had taken him a while to be able to get back on his feet and moving. He felt sluggish and every part of him ached.

But he finally made it to the stream and spent some time refilling the water bottles. He hadn't bothered with the container this time since Ronon was better, and John seriously doubted he could have hauled it back anyway. Of late Rodney had an easier time getting Ronon in and out of the cave to pee than John did. He knew Ronon was aware of his deteriorating condition but, fortunately, the Satedan knew enough to stay silent. John didn't want Rodney to know how rotten he really felt. To do so would only send McKay into a full blown panic. Keeping Rodney calm the past few days wasn't easy as it was.

After getting the water bottles filled and back in his pack, John eased himself into the water. Despite the heat of the sun, the water was cold, making him gasp as it soaked his heated flesh. John submerged himself completely, soaking his head and scrubbing at his hair then submerging a few times until he was shuddering with the cold and his teeth were chattering.

He stumbled as he stepped back out onto the bank, falling to his knees beside his heavy pack. He had to will himself to his feet, shouldering his burden and moving out once more. On the way back he got lost and it was nearing dark when he finally made it back on track.

OoO

Lorne was worried. They had only one more planet to check. If they didn't find Sheppard and his team this time, then he would have to return to Atlantis and deliver the bad news. Determination etched into his face, Lorne set the Jumper down and ordered his team to move out. Come hell or high water, he was going find Sheppard and his team and bring them home.

OoO

Rodney was worried. Sheppard had been gone a long time, way past what it usually took him to forage food and water and return. "Something's wrong," he stated, as he paced by the entrance to the cave, periodically staring out. He kept hoping to catch sight of Sheppard.

"He'll be back," Ronon stated firmly. "He's probably just resting along the way. We're all tired."

"He looks like hell!" Rodney snapped. "He's sick, I just know it. He probably died along the way and crows or some alien version of them are eating him as we speak!"

Ronon shifted, pushing himself to his feet. Using his cane he somehow managed to hop over to McKay, grabbing the scientist by the shirt front and shaking him, although there was no real threat in his grasp. He was weak now, as they all were. "Sheppard is FINE!" Ronon rumbled.

Rodney squeaked, hands moving to grip Ronon's wrists. "Yes, yes! Of course...he's fine," Rodney echoed. "Sorry...I'm sorry. I'm just...worried."

"I need to pee," Ronon said, releasing Rodney's shirt and smoothing it with clumsy fingers.

"Right..pee," Rodney replied. "Yeah...me too." He moved to Ronon's good side, letting the Satedan drape a heavy arm over his shoulders. Slowly they made their way out of the cave. After taking care of business, they began the long trek back inside. Only Ronon stumbled without warning, shifting too much weight onto Rodney.

Rodney cried out as he felt himself falling, and suddenly he hit the ground hard with Ronon's body falling over him. A white flash of pain in his head and back made him scream, then there was shadowy darkness engulfing him and when he came back to awareness he realized he could barely breathe.

Panic overtook Rodney for a moment, till he realized that he was being crushed by Ronon. He tried to shove the big guy off him and succeeded only in making his back wrench with pain. "Ronon..." he whispered, because trying to suck in enough air to be louder hurt too much. "You have to wake up," Rodney begged. Panic flared again and he struggled to push Ronon off him, only to feel pain spike through his back and darkness claimed him.

OoO

Shadowy darkness surrounded John by the time he reached the cave. Head down he stumbled up the slope to the entrance, only to trip over a dark mass. He grunted as his knees hit the ground and his ribs came in contact with something fleshy. It took him a moment to snap into focus enough to realize that he had fallen on Ronon and Rodney.

Ronon made a grunting sound as well, eyes coming open to rest on Sheppard's face.

"What happened?" John asked, as he reached out to check Rodney's pulse. Rodney stirred at the touch, whimpering in pain.

"Sheppard?" he whispered, and his voice sounded painfully hoarse.

John locked eyes with him. "Rodney...what happened? Why are you out here?"

Rodney closed his eyes, biting his lower lip as the lines of pain that slashed his forehead deepened. "Took Ronon out... for a... bathroom break and he fell on me. Back...hurts." His voice was slurred and his skin was clammy.

"God...I'm sorry." John felt guilt wash over him. If he hadn't gotten lost, if he had made it back hours ago, this wouldn't have happened.

"My fault," Ronon interjected, as if reading John's thoughts. "I came too and tried to get us back up, but I didn't get far before I passed out."

John had moved to assess Ronon's leg. It felt hot to his touch and he could see how much pain the Satedan was in. He shrugged off the back pack, his own hurts forgotten as he grabbed two water bottles and gave them both something to drink. "How long were you out here?" he asked, silently cursing himself again.

Ronon squinted up at the sky. "A couple of hours."

"Rodney's blood sugar is going to be low." John had taken a powerbar with him, one of their last ones, at Rodney's insistence. He knew he wouldn't touch it and now he was grateful. Breaking off a piece he pushed it into Rodney's mouth, moving behind him to lift him a bit, steeling himself against McKay's moan of pain at being moved. "Chew and swallow, Rodney," John commanded, and he was pleased when McKay obeyed him. John got half of the bar into him, then he looked at Ronon. "I'll take Rodney inside then be back for you."

"Be careful," Ronon cautioned, as he watched John move to pull Rodney up with his back against John's chest, his arms linked over Rodney's chest.

John hated having to drag Rodney, but there was no way in hell he could carry him. Rodney moaned and whimpered the entire way and once inside John settled him carefully, laying him on his back. "I'll be back with Ronon," John told him. He didn't wait for rodney to reply.

Running back outside, John wasn't sure how he found the strength, but he got Ronon up and back inside the cave. He gave him Tylenol and some food, then went back out to get the back pack of water. Back out again for wood and John started a fire. He felt like he was buzzed on something and he realized he was operating on a pure adrenaline rush.

But it didn't last. By the time he got the fire going, John could feel his body becoming sluggish again and his mind became cloudy. He had to concentrate hard on what he had to do, and think out each movement he made. Eventually he watched Ronon drift off to sleep, then John focused all his attention on Rodney. He spent the night giving McKay bites of food, and he managed to get some Tylenol down him. They had four pills left.

Just before dawn John fell into a restless doze. He came awake to Rodney crying out from a nightmare. He woke him up, gave him some water and tried to keep a neutral expression on his face as he asked, "How's your back?"

"Hurts...hurts bad," Rodney whispered, and he sounded so damn broken that John felt fear ripple through him. Rodney shouldn't have to suffer. None of them should. "I have one thing of morphine left," John offered.

"Please," Rodney whispered.

John got up and went to the pack where the morphine was. He glanced over at Ronon who was watching him with heavy-lidded eyes. He held up the morphine and Ronon nodded. They both knew Rodney needed it most. John gave McKay the shot then made him drink some water before allowing him to drift off to sleep again.

After a bit John got up and moved to Ronon. "Want to go out to pee or use a container?"

"I need to move around," Ronon said, but he was moving as sluggishly as John was.

"You hungry?" John asked, as they made their way outside.

Ronon shook his head. "I can wait. We need to save what we have. You won't be able to make many more trips." His gaze roamed over John as he spoke, seeing more than John was comfortable with. Ronon knew he wasn't eating and why.

But John wasn't going to let himself give up. "They'll come for us," he said, vehemence in his tone. "Soon!"

"Soon," Ronon echoed. He let John guide him over to a corner of the bathroom area then did his business.

John did the same, without really feeling the need to relieve himself. Then they made the trek back and once Ronon was settled again, John focused on Rodney. Suddenly it hit him that he might be able to give Rodney some relief. He grabbed their lone blanket and used one of Ronon's knives to cut off a third of it. Then he grabbed a water bottle and wet it. Then he moved to the fire that was still burning and let the flames heat the blanket without letting it burn. He then moved to Rodney and pushed the heated mass under his back before settling him back on it. "The heat might help," John explained to Ronon, seeing the Satedan's confusion over his actions.

How many hours passed, John didn't know. He kept reheating the makeshift heat pack until Rodney stirred and said he had to pee. John brought a container then dumped it. He used one of the few wipes they had left to clean his hands then fed Rodney part of their last MRE. He gave Ronon the fruit and carrot things and some water, then he went back to putting the heat back on Rodney's back.

As he worked John did something he hadn't done in years. He prayed. Because he knew if someone didn't come soon, then they were going to die here. And that was a failure John wasn't ready to accept.

THE END...of part 8