He slowly and reluctantly started to surface back to consciousness. The place he had been had felt safe. It was a place without pain, without fear, without worry, but something was echoing at the edge of his consciousness, something that was calling him, telling him to waken up. He realized it was the sound of crying intermingled with coughing.
"The children!" He thought to himself. His eyes snapped open and he found himself looking at the ceiling of a cave but it was not the same cave as he had been in before. This cave was dark and dank and very cold.
A small hand pulled at his sleeve. It was Calay. "Mr Doctor," she said. "Are you okay?"
Carson tried to sit up. He knew almost straight away, that it had been a bad idea. His head started to spin, and his shoulder shouted a reminder that he had been shot. He gave an involuntary groan. Calay's little hand slipped into his hand. "Are you really okay, Mr Doctor?" she asked, a worried expression on her little face.
Carson gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "Aye, sweetheart," he responded. "I'll be fine."
"Well, I will be in time," he said, under his breath.
Struggling to his feet, Carson made his way over to the children. All five of the children, who had been in the cave had been taken with him. However, when he looked around to the cave, there was no sign of Teyla.
"Calay, sweetheart," he said, turning to the little girl. "Have you seen Teyla?"
The little girl shook her head. "The pretty lady?" she asked, looking up at him. When he nodded, she continued. "She isn't here. There's just us."
Carson looked round to the cave, hoping to find something useful. Hiding in the corner, he noticed his medicine case. "Thank the Lord for small mercies," he said. Getting to his feet unsteadily, he made his way over to his case. He opened it and checked its contents. Thankfully, it contained a reasonable supply of the medicine he had been using to ease the children's cough. If he used it sparingly, it would last several days.
He handed out small quantities to the children, but had to stop a moment when a coughing fit overtook him. With all his other concerns, he had forgotten that he himself seemed to be coming down with flu-like virus. Calay looked up at him, and solemnly handed him what remained of her medicine. He smiled down at her, and cradled her small head in his hand. "Thank you, sweetheart," he said with a gentle smile. "But I think you need it more than I do."
"How very touching," a sarcastic voice said from the entrance way to the cave. Carson turned to see the leader of the men who had abducted them. He had an evil smile on his face.
"What do you want from me?" he asked the other man. "And why have you taken the children?"
"Don't worry, Doctor," the leader said. "All will become clear in time."
He then turned to the men who had been waiting behind him. "Take him!" he ordered the two men nearest to him. They grabbed Carson, seeming to take delight in hurting his already wounded shoulder. "And take the girl!" he continued, the evil smile returning to his face.
Calay struggled as hard as she could, twisting and turning, to try to avoid being taken. Carson was worried that she might hurt herself or be hurt by the men, and gave her a soothing glance. "It's okay, sweetheart," he said. "I won't let them hurt you."
He hoped that he could keep that promise.
