I started writing this chapter with the mission of answering some unanswered questions. But, I ended up just adding more questions. Sorry. Hee, hee.
Hopefully I will have the next chapter up pretty quick. But you never know. I just got in a really bad car wreck and I don't really feel like sitting down and writing at the moment. Maybe some reviews will put me in a better mood. (gives Bambi eyes) Any how be sure to review and let me know if this is going in a good direction. I'm open to suggestions! hint, hint. lol!
Disclaimer- I have no money. I own nothing of any value. I do not own Stargate Atlantis. I do not own a puppy or a cat or a bird for that matter. I don't even own a fish for crying out loud!
(Why do they make us do these disclaimers? They really should know better.)
Elisabeth rushed down the hallway trying not to look distressed.
She had just finished talking to John about Rodney. To say the least she was a little shocked. Yes, she had been worried about Rodney but, she had thought that he probably had just gotten distracted with some ancient gizmo or another and had pushed it out of her mind.
"I don't understand how they do it," she thought to herself, "I can't even go one day without something happening with one or more members of my flagship team. They didn't even have a mission today."
Turning quickly into the infirmary she collided with John Shepard, who had taken up post just inside the doorway.
"Oh, I'm sorry Elizabeth." John apologized with a sheepish grin on his face, "The nurses have been telling me to sit down for fifteen minutes now. I guess I should have taken their gentle hint and sat down instead of blocking the doorway."
"Oh, no it's fine. I was a little….distracted." She said after regaining her balance.
Shepard managed to give a half hearted smile when Carson came into the waiting room.
Shepard and Elisabeth turned to him immediately, anxious to know about Rodney.
"How is he?" Elizabeth beat John to the question.
"Well, we've got him stable for now but, there's somethin' very……strange goin' on." Carson answered hesitantly.
Shepard and Elizabeth quickly exchanged glances of concern.
"What do you mean strange?" Elisabeth asked, "Like what?"
"Yes, like what?" Shepard added. "That is of course besides, Rodney for some reason being unconscious on the floor of his room or the fact that a bunch cuts formed right in front of my eyes out of thin air."
Sheppard counted off with his fingers.
Beckett looked at John before answering, trying to decide whether he was joking or not.
Giving up Carson shook his head, took a deep breath and finally answered,
"Well, going over all of the different cuts that the colonel and I witnessed form earlier. I noted that they were only on the skin that was not covered by clothes. I don't know exactly what that means but perhaps it will help us in the future. However, the cuts themselves are very unique little buggers. At first they looked like, to me, like someone had sliced them with a very sharp knife but the more I look at them the more it seems to be like a….tear almost."
Carson quickly looked back and forth between John and Elisabeth nervously.
" I know it sounds ridicules but that's what it looks like"
"Whoa, wait a second." Sheppard said putting a hand up, "How can skin just tear like that? I mean I've seen a lot of things before but gashes forming out of nowhere, is definitely a new one."
"I know what you mean colonel," Carson replied, "An' I don't mean to pretend that I understand any of this because I really don't. But, unfortunately, I have more to add to this already complicated case." He added putting one hand in his pockets nervously and with the other he clung tightly to his clip bored.
"After giving Rodney a full examination I've also noted that he has severe bruising. Mostly concentrated on his back, chest and arms. His head also has some swelling areas that look like he had been hit with somethin'. An' I've also noticed both his arms look like they had been rubbed raw. An' on top of that, he has a fractured rib an' his left arm is broken in two different places."
"How is that possible?" Elizabeth asked in over whelmed bewilderment.
"I have no idea." Carson replied bluntly
"Soundslike someone beat the crap out of him." stated John .
"That was my first thought," Carson answered, "But, I wont know anything for sure until I can get the results back from all the tests."
"John said something about Rodney not being able to breath then coughing up blood?"asked Elizabeth.
"Yes, apparently something hit him or he hit something hard enough, that it puncture his left lung, causing it t'fill with blood. Thankfully, we were ably to stop the bleedin' an' drain it all out before it caused any permanent damage." Carson answered.
"When do you think he'll be awake?" John asked.
"I have no way of knowin'. We're just goin' to have t'wait this one out." Carson answered sadly.
Elizabeth and John nodded that they understood, then sat down in the chairs that had been set up next to the door while Carson returned to his patient.
They just sat there trying to allow all the information thatBecket had just given themto sink in.
They were still sitting like that when Tayla came in.
"I came as soon as I heard." She said. "I have heard many different things but I do not know what exactly has happened."
"Well we aren't to sure ourselves." John answered.
"I see. Is he not ill?"
"Carson doesn't know yet." Dr. Weir sighed, "He said he wouldn't know anything for sure until all the test were run."
Tayla's face deepened with worry,
"I was told that he was found unconscious. Is that true?" She asked
"Yeah, Becket and I found him in his room."
"This is not good news." She said while sitting down in the chair next to Shepard.
The three of them just sat there. John was hunched forward with his elbows resting on his knees while his hands were clasped and his two thumbs in a battle over who could pin the other one down. On his right sat Elizabeth, who sat very straight and stiff with her eyes glued to the floor. She was holding the edges of her seat so tightly that I'm sure if anyone tried to move her they would have to take the chair as well. And Talya, who sat on John's left, sat with her eyes closed and her head leaning back against the wall. Her hands werefolded on her lap while she whispered prayers under her breath.
All faces turned towards Carson who was just about to enter the room they were all sitting in when one of the nurses yelled for him.
"Doctor Beckett!"
Carson quickly spung on his heals and went in the direction he had just come from, leaving the faithfull trio in anxious worry over what could be wrong now.
0o0o0
Darkness…laying on something cold and hard ….flashing lights…voices…something soft under his head...darkness…smeared faces.…Something warm wrapped around his shivering body...pain….panic.
"I,…I…where am I?" Rodney could hear the fear in his own voice. "I don't remember anything!" He shouted while his voice cracked as the realization of this fact sunk in.
He felt completely detached from everything around him. He couldn't think. He could just barely see the smudged faces that hovered over him.
Suddenly out of all the unrecognizable faces that surrounded him a friendly face appeared. At least it was one he could recognize.
"Rodney, don't worry. Yer goin' t'be alright ." A familiar Scottish voice spoke to him.
"Carson? I don't remember! Oh, god. Carson what happened?" Rodney said as the pure terror of the whole situation sunk in.
"I'm not sure lad." Carson answered calmly.
"What? What do you mean you're not sure? Aren't you the doctor? Your supposed always know what's wrong!" Rodney's eyes now darted all over the place as the fear finally got a choke hold on him.
Rodney watched as Carson looked up to one of the many blurry faces that occupied his now tiny world.
"Shannon can you please go get me a sedative." Carson put his hands firmly on Rodney's shoulders to prevent him from getting up.
"Carson, please, I don't understand!"
"I know. But you will…we'll figure this out." Carson tried to reassure him.
Slowly Rodney began to feel more relaxed. He was also able to think more clearly. He knew in the back of his mind that it was because of the drugs Carson had injected into him.
"You need to relax." Carson whispered.
Slowly Rodney closed his eyes as he tried to remember something, anything to give him some kind of idea as to what exactly had happened, but all he could come with were a hand full of pictures and names. Memories of cities and tunnels. He couldn't tell what was real and what was not real. What was a dream and what had really happened.
Suddenly Rodney snapped his eyes open.
"Sshari." Rodney slurredout as the drugs took full affect on him.
Carson furrowed his brows,
"Sari? Who's Sari?"
Rodney's head was swimming. His vision danced in front of his eyes. He felt his eye lids become very heavy. In a last ditch effort to speak Rodney just made out,
"gglliirrll iimmm shidy."
"I'm sorry? " Carson asked trying desperately to make out what his friend was saying.
But it was to late Rodney had passed out again.
Carson shook his head,
"Alright," He said standing up from where he had been leaning over Rodney and pointing to various personal,
"I want him to be monitored 24/7. Some one needs to be watching him at all times. Just in case he wakes up again." He ordered. "I want all the results from his tests handed to me personally. No leaving them on my desk. I don't care what time it is when you get them in I want them immediately, even if that means leaving the infirmary and looking for me. Understood?"
All the nurses nodded,
"Yes Doctor." They said in unison.
"Right." Carson said as he left the room to go and update the three people who were anxiously awaiting for some kind of news concerning their Chief Scientist and good friend.
A/N-Pour, pitiful Rodney. What's one to do? Why not click that review button? That's a great start! lol! Now to work on the next chapter. (Rubes hands together) hee, hee, hee!