When Elizabeth came into the infirmary, Teyla and Rodney were sitting at the major's bedside, silently watching over the unconscious man. For a moment she remained in the doorframe, watching them. It had been hard for all of them and it had been hardest for Sheppard's team. She hadn't heard a word of protest from Rodney, who was usually complaining before he could think. Carson was worried about Teyla falling into depression. Elizabeth needed them. Atlantis needed them. She couldn't afford to lose them too.
She walked up to Rodney and Teyla.
"Teyla, Rodney." She announced her presence.
"Dr. Weir." Rodney's face took on a defiant look. He usually called her Elizabeth. Elizabeth tried to ignore Rodney. He probably just needed time. She turned to Teyla.
"Teyla, I was wondering whether you had a moment to join me. Dr. Jamison and I were discussing future defence strategies for the City and we thought your expertise might be helpful. Only if you feel up to it, of course." Elizabeth asked in a firm tone.
Teyla tilted her head. "I'm honoured that you would consider consulting me. But I'm afraid I won't be able to assist you in this matter. I'm sure Halling will be able to help you with this." Teyla replied.
Elizabeth wasn't going to take no for an answer. If Teyla thought she was done with Atlantis because she couldn't see anymore, then she was wrong. but for the moment, she was going to leave.
oOo
It had taken Radek over an hour to put up the tent. After storing away all the equipment from the MALP, he really didn't know what to do. He had brought a small pack of personal belongings, which included his laptop and pen and paper. Radek had brought the latter two items to write letter for his family and friends to say good-bye, but now that he had to time, he found it very hard to say anything to say to the people back without revealing anything classified. He couldn't say anything about what he was doing or even how he was going to die. Frustrated, Radek put pen and paper away. He was just going to explore the territory for a while, when the Gate activated. When Rodney and Carson stepped through the blue Puddle, Radek reacted with pleasant surprise.
"Oh, you are coming to visit me in exile."
"We are glad to see you too, Radek." Rodney said. "I brought you something to do. "Carson finally told me what's going on and I'm working on a solution."
Knowing that Rodney was working on something reassured Radek. Rodney must be feeling better if he had a new project.
"The personal shield." He said and pulled out the object.
"I thought of that already." Radek said. "But I don't have the gene. It's useless for me. Besides, it is drained of all power, I thought."
"It's not drained anymore." Rodney triumphed. „And I think I'm close to figuring out a way to fool the shield into thinking that you have the gene after someone with the gene has a activated it." Rodney explained.
"How long do you think it will take?"
"I can't say. It depends on how my tests go. I brought Carson to take a blood sample. I need to it configure the shield. But I won't know it works until I test it."
"What happens if you do get it to work? I can't drink or eat when I wear it?" Radek asked.
Rodney shrugged.
"I'm working on the Ancient medical equipment. Some of it is specifically designed to do complex neurosurgery."
Radek didn't like to idea. "And that is going to work?"
"We can only hope. The Ancient equipment is way beyond anything we know." Carson didn't have anything better to offer.
oOo
The first thing to return was John's hearing. A persistent ringing, like he had been at the firing range without ear protection, or to close to something exploding. John really hoped for the former. Shrapnel was a bitch. Gradually the ringing in his ears subsided, and John could pick up a consisted beeping sound. Beep...beep...beep. He listened. It reminded him of something.
Cardiac monitor. That was it. Hospital. No that wasn't right. There were no hospitals here. This was the Pegasus galaxy. The infirmary on Atlantis.
John opened his eyes. The movement took considerable effort. The familiar ceiling swam into view. Yeah, the infirmary. He had seen this definitely too often. He needed to work on this. Although usually his ending up in Beckett's care was not his fault. After all, why as half the Pegasus galaxy out to kill or maim him?
John couldn't remember who had done him in this time. Hoping to find out, he turned his head to the right and found Rodney sitting in a chair next to his bed, working on something on his laptop. As he watching the tense features of the scientist, it all came back to him in a rush. The dream, Rodney being shot, being at the prison camp, his execution. This had to be another delusion, another dream. It couldn't be real. He couldn't have escaped the pirates.
"Rodney?" John asked. His voice surprised him. He sounded like a frog. His voice was shaky from disuse.
Rodney looked up from his laptop. When he had realized that it was John who had spoken his name, he jumped up from his chair.
"John, you are awake! Are you all right?"
John nodded and reached out a hand, circling around Rodney's wrist.
"What is it John?"
"You have to be careful. Elizabeth and Carson, they don't trust you. Elizabeth is trying to convince everyone that you are crazy; she is trying to discredit you. Please..." John tried to warn Rodney when his voice gave out. Rodney just stared at John.
"Just wait. Take it easy. I think I should get Carson." Rodney was getting more scared every minute. He had thought things would be all right when John woke up, but now that he had, things were very much not all right. He was talking in confusion, making no sense at all. Carson had mentioned that there was the possibility that he had suffered permanent damaged and now Rodney feared that this had come true.
"It's going to be all right John. Carson is going to be here any minute." Rodney tried to free himself from John's grip and pushed the call button.
"Please, Rodney, you have to leave, you don't understand."
Rodney didn't understand what John meant, didn't understand what he didn't understand, but he got the message; John didn't want him to be there. Rodney turned and left.
John looked after him. He was glad that Rodney had finally gotten the message. Carson shouldn't find him here. In fact, he wasn't too eager to be found by Carson either. Figuring that he didn't hurt too badly. He swung his legs over the bedside. He winced when he pulled the IV out of his hand, but he was determined to get out of the infirmary before Carson arrived. He threw a quick glance around, but didn't spot any clothes. He had to make due without them. He just hoped he wouldn't run into anyone.
He got to his feet, firmly holding onto the headboard. When he let go, he swayed for a few seconds, but then he was steady enough to walk.
oOo
The trip to his quarters had been arduous, but John had made it without getting spotted by anyone. As soon as he had locked the door behind himself, he slid to the floor. The short trip had made his muscles burn and his head ache furiously. He was panting like he had just run ten miles. He was badly out of shape.
It was only a matter of time before they would come for him here. His quarters would be one of the first places they would look for him. He had to find a place for himself. John tried to think, but his head started to ache even worse. Part of him had hoped the dreaming would finally end. As his dreams had gone from the pleasant to the nightmarish, he had hoped that would go home again. But no one had come to his rescue. His people had abandoned him. The dreams would only stop after he died of starvation or of the drugs his captors were feeding him.
John was tired, very tired.
oOo
Carson came to a skittering halt in front or John's empty bed. This morning, the man occupying it had been deeply unconscious and it had been questionable whether he would ever come out of it much less whether he would ever be the man he was again. And now he was gone. Something was obviously going on. John couldn't be thinking straight. He would have never left the infirmary in his condition.
Carson went over to Ford who was lying in bed, listening to music on his iPod. When Carson approached, he dropped the head phones.
"What's going on doc?" He asked.
"Did you see what just happened?"
"Not sure. Only that McKay left in a hurry. Sorry, I didn't pay attention." Then Ford noticed that the major's bed was empty. "Where did Sheppard go? I thought he was still unconscious. He was ten minutes ago."
"You are not the only one wondering about the major's whereabouts. I have a feeling that Rodney can tell us something about that." Carson said and activated his radio.
"Rodney, it's Carson. It's urgent. Please answer." There was nothing but static. "Damn, he dropped the radio." Carson cursed. He radioed Elizabeth instead.
"Dr. Weir. It's Beckett. The major's gone missing and I can't reach Rodney. I think Sheppard's in trouble. He needs to be back in the infirmary."
"I thought he was still unconscious." Elizabeth's voice came over the radio.
"He must have just woken up." Carson replied. "I don't know what's going on in his head. He could be suffering from delusions or even vivid hallucinations. It's important that we find him as soon as possible." Carson explained.
"I understand. I will get all available personnel on it now. What happened to Rodney?"
"I'm not sure. He ran out of the infirmary after John woke up. He could be with John."
"Okay, we'll get on it. I'll let you know as soon as we find something."
oOo
Rodney had locked himself in his lab after John had told him in no uncertain terms to leave. When he heard the search call for John, he didn't need to think long. John was confused, he was scared, and he didn't trust Elizabeth or Carson. He would go where no one would be able to find him.
The tower. The North Tower was the highest of all of Atlantis. Atlantis only let John go there. If John wanted to hide, he would go there. Rodney hurried out of his lab and towards the nearest transporter.
oOo
John climbed up the tightly winding stairs. Every step hurt, but the prospect of safety drove him to keep climbing. He had come here before without telling anyone. Not in his version of Atlantis, he fervently hoped this was true for this dream as well.
Finally, he was at the top. He thought the door open, and stepped out on the platform overlooking all of Atlantis. The air smelled of the ocean and a soft breeze waved around him. John took a deep breath and started to relax a bit.
oOo
Rodney took the stairs two at the time, panting and sweating. This time, Atlantis had let him in, as if she knew that John was in trouble and needed his help. The winding staircase seemed endless and Rodney was wearing out quickly. He still hadn't recovered fully from his ordeal back on the planet.
When he reached the door to the platform, Rodney was spent. Seeing John stand peacefully on the platform reassured Rodney somewhat. For a moment he hesitated before thinking the door open. He didn't want to startle John and John had told him to go away.
But John needed help. Carson had said there could be problems, Rodney didn't like it, but he had to look out for John, especially since he was largely responsible.
Rodney quietly stepped out on the platform. John whirled around and a smile formed on his face when he saw Rodney. Rodney took this as a good sign, but his heart sank when John spoke.
"You know, they shot you. For nothing, just like that they shot. I'm trying to save you. But it's pointless since you aren't real. This is just a dream."
"No, John. You have to believe this is real. You were badly injured. You had a head injury."
"My head hurts." John commented lightly and his hand rose to the side of his head where a small patch of hair had been shaved for Carson had cleaned and dressed his head-wound.
"This doesn't make sense." John commented, confusion overcoming his face. He didn't know what to think anymore. "What happened?"
Rodney didn't know what to say,
"It was an accident. Really, it was my fault. I shouldn't have rushed you." Rodney babbled.
"What happened?" John repeated.
"A gun went off. You and Ford were struggling for the gun and it went off. You were kind trying to shoot yourself and he tried to stop you, but it was all my fault, you have to believe that." Rodney realised he had said more than hr should have, like usually when he was nervous.
"It's not real." John repeated. "It's not real." Over and over like a mantra, he repeated the words. Rodney was at the end of his rope, especially since John was moving closer and closer to the edge. When John was about a foot from the edge of the platform, Rodney only saw one way out he lunged at John, grabbing him bodily. For a weakened man, John was surprisingly strong. He had the advantage or years of physical conditioning and the strength of the desperate.
John had Rodney's arms in a vice. Trying to get free, the two men rolled over, getting even closer to the edge. Rodney already saw himself falling over. Fear of imminent death gave him strength he didn't know he possessed and he managed to pry himself lose from John's iron grip. But they had been struggling too close to the edge, when Rodney had freed himself; he had accidentally pushed John over the edge, condemning him to a certain death. When Rodney screamed John's name, it was already too late. Rodney collapsed to the ground and blackness settled over him.
TBC