Chapter 7.
Thanks for the lovely reviews. I can't stress enough how important my betas have been. A tower of strength. Thanks Merlin and Kodiak.
Rodney McKay sat silently, crouched next to Colonel Sheppard, who was restlessly moaning in sleep; his fever still being very high. The scientist sighed and looked at his watch. Teyla and Ronon had been gone for nearly eleven hours, and he was terrified to admit the possibility that something had gone wrong, and that the two team-members would not be returning with help. Sheppard had suffered a second seizure an hour before, and this time it had lasted longer. Marrin and Jamos had kept him company, on and off, with Marrin making tea, and gently reminding him to eat the food she had offered him. "Teyla was quite adamant you should eat regularly, Doctor McKay," the woman had chided.
McKay was abruptly brought out of his musings by the sound of footsteps in the hallway of the cave. He looked up to see two wet and weary forms entering the room. He jumped up and ran over to his two returning friends, exclaiming, "Oh thank God you're back. I thought you were dead. I was beginning to think you weren't ever coming…" The scientist suddenly paused as the realisation hit him that the two travellers had come alone. "Where's Carson? We need Carson. Sheppard's much worse. Why isn't he here?" McKay felt himself losing control of his emotions, and put his hands to his face, shaking his head. " Tell me you found the 'gate, and that help is on the way. Please…"
Teyla put a wet hand on McKay's arm, soothing the distressed man. "Rodney. It is alright. The Daedalus will be here in about six hours. Carson is on board with a medical team. It was easier to bring the Daedalus here, than to have Carson try and walk in such dangerous conditions. There are medical facilities on the ship and they can help him there while we return to Atlantis."
"That's…er, that's good," the scientist managed to reply absent-mindedly.
The Athosian removed her rucksack, kneeling down as she started to unpack items from it. "He sent supplies and instructions for you. He also said he is glad you attended voodoo medical 101, as you will need the skills he taught you there." The Athosian shrugged, "He assured me you would understand what he meant?" She asked, her expression quizzical.
McKay took the data pad from Teyla and powered it up, and began reading Beckett's instructions to him. After a few moments he realised the Athosian was expecting an explanation from him. "Ah, Voodoo Medical 101. I remember it well." He looked back down at the screen of the data pad and nodded. "Carson wants me to start an IV on the colonel. Good job I'm so proficient at it. In fact, Carson said I was a natural at finding veins…even let me start an IV on him. Not surprising really when you consider my scientific ability, though I'd hardly call medicine a science."
Teyla smiled and nodded, as she and Ronon continued unpacking supplies. The Satedan
glanced over to where Sheppard lay, and concern marked his features. "He doesn't look too good, McKay. Sooner you help him, the better," he grunted.
"Yes, yes. I'm going as fast as I can, Conan. It takes time to set these things up." He muttered irritably under his breath. "Ok, all ready."
McKay gently pulled back the blanket and took hold of Sheppard's good arm. He readjusted it, and placed the limb on top. After putting on surgical gloves and swabbing the inside of the pilot's forearm, he picked up the needle from the sterile pack he had earlier opened. The scientist let out a deep breath as he tapped the arm, and inserted the needle into the soft flesh there. He sighed, removing the needle and repeated the process. "Damn!" Frustration showed on McKay's face. "You couldn't make it easy for me, could you?" As if in response Sheppard moaned, mumbling incoherently, almost immediately settling back down. On failing a second time to find a vein, he gritted his teeth and tried again. "Thank God!" he exclaimed, as he finally found his target. "Once we've got these fluids in you, you'll feel much better, I promise," he said to the unconscious colonel. As the words fell from his lips, he inwardly prayed they would turn out to be true. "Come on Carson, hurry up," he muttered to himself.
-oOo-
Present time….
McKay smiled as he remembered the happy banter they'd shared at the beginning of the mission, but the sound of Ronon's booming voice coming from the hallway interrupted his thoughts.
"The Daedalus is here. Beckett's beaming down now."
"See, I told you Carson would be here soon. He'll fix you up in no time." McKay gently squeezed Sheppard's arm, and waited anxiously for the doctor to arrive.
Dr.Carson Beckett strolled in to the living room, with two nurses, laden with supplies, trailing behind him. "Right, out of the way Rodney. I need to examine my patient." He ordered in his usual professional, no-nonsense manner. "Let's see what mess you've got yourself into this time, Colonel."
The doctor carried out various checks on the unconscious man, stopping to compliment McKay on his handiwork. " Nice job with the IV, Rodney. That can't have been easy with him being so dehydrated."
"Yes, well, I had a good teacher." McKay uncharacteristically complimented the Scotsman.
The doctor glanced up at the scientist, saying "Go and get something to eat. You're being nice, so you're obviously not feeling very well." He then continued his examination of the ailing colonel.
After inserting a second IV line, administering some drugs and placing an oxygen mask over Sheppard's face, Beckett turned to the small crowd gathered nearby, waiting for news. "Colonel Sheppard is in critical condition, and I need to get him into the infirmary on the Daedalus immediately. I've stabilised him, and he's holding his own for the time being, but I need to transport him now. I'll know more when I've examined him more thoroughly. Ronon, can you help me with the litter?" Beckett asked the Satedan.
Teyla turned to Marrin and Jamos, who were standing anxiously nearby. "Marrin, Jamos, thank you for your hospitality. We must leave, but we would like to come back soon and meet more of your people, and perhaps trade with you?" The Athosian smiled at the elderly couple.
"We would like that very much. I hope the colonel will recover." Was Marrin's concerned reply.
"I hope so too. Be well, Marrin, Jamos." She turned to leave, as McKay and Ronon also offered their thanks to the elderly couple.
-oOo-
McKay stood in the corner of the small infirmary, aboard the Daedalus. Once they had beamed there, the medical personnel had sprung to life, quickly moving Sheppard on to a bed and cutting off his remaining clothes, covering him with a sheet. Beckett barked orders, as one of the nurses ushered the rest of the team away. McKay had refused to leave, preferring to skulk in the corner, hoping not to be noticed. He watched as Beckett hooked Sheppard up to a heart monitor and various other pieces of unidentified equipment and dubious tubing.
"Right let's prep. for central and arterial lines. He's pressure's not looking too good. Shelly, run the gelofusin through and let's start the anti-biotics."
McKay worriedly gazed at the scene in front of him, jumping as alarms suddenly rang out.
"Damn, he's going into vfib. Melissa, charge the defibrillator. Come on Colonel, let's be having none of this," Beckett exclaimed.
McKay suddenly felt faint, this couldn't be happening, not now, after everything they'd been through. He flinched as he heard Carson shout 'clear', momentarily hearing the thud of Sheppard's body falling back onto the bed after arching up from the jolt of electricity from the defibrillator. He listened desperately for the sound of regular heartbeats. A few fluttering beats then - nothing. McKay groaned as Beckett started chest compressions, while shouting at another doctor to get an airway on the colonel. "This can't be happening. You have to fight. Please…" He lowered his head into his hands and anxiously watched as Carson desperately fought to save his friend.
Tbc