Touched By An Ancient
By Ann3
Writer's note: I must admit I'm having an absolute blastwriting this story, and I'm so grateful for all the reviews and encouragement.
I'm going to try and get another chapter written up and posted tomorrow during my day off - might even squeeze in two !
Just a little reference in here for Thirty Eight Minutes - everything else stays the same.
Okay then, back to what passes in my sick and twisted little mind as the plot... ;o)
Chapter 12
He was finally settling again, which came as an immeasurable relief to those who watched over him. After two days of complete silence and stillness, Carson Beckett had just gone to the other extreme. He'd become so restless, so inexplicably agitated, that McKay had almost hit the ceiling in sympathy – his startled yell bringing everyone else in the Infirmary running excitedly to Carson's bedside.
"He – He's waking up…!"
Delight had rapidly changed to alarm, though, as that yearned for moment failed to materialise. And for Kate Buchanan, that alarm had gone much deeper than simple dismay at a friend's distress. The reassuringly steady signal on the heart monitor had suddenly gone haywire, and as for the EEG – well, even now, even as her patient thankfully quietened, its readings were still wildly erratic.
One in particular still held her attention as she gently fitted a small oxygen mask over Carson's face. To her medically trained eyes, those unnaturally elevated delta waves meant only one thing. The battle that was being waged inside Carson Beckett's mind had taken a highly significant turn.
Having fought a similar battle, John Sheppard had taken it upon himself to tag along on this one – drawing on that unique experience to guide a lost and vulnerable friend through its many silent terrors.
So when a fretfully out-flung hand swatted at the mask on his face, John was the first to catch it – holding it gently out of harm's way while trying to reassure and quieten its still restless owner.
"Whoa, easy there, doc… easy now… it's alright, Carson, wherever you are, you're safe there… nothing bad's gonna happen to you, you're going to be okay… that's it, just take it easy…"
It took several anxious moments, but eventually the restlessly stirring figure grew calm once more – feverish mutters dying into silence as Carson slid back into the depthless void of his dreams.
Whatever his captive subconscious had just thrown at him was still clearly affecting him, though – a now familiar, barely coherent word prompting another exchange of tired, resigned glances.
"He's still asking for his father…" McKay said at last, not even trying to hide his obvious frustration. "Guess he's not quite ready to wake up after all…"
Sharing his frustration, though not quite so openly, Kate gave his shoulder a heartening squeeze.
"No, Rodney, he isn't… but he is getting there…"
"So you keep saying…" McKay snapped, too tired and dispirited to realise what he was saying. Haunted by the last time he'd spoken to rashly, his face then fell into a wince of instant contrition.
"Sorry…" he whispered, his eyes drifting back to the once more still and silent figure beside him – the regret on his face expressing every part of the apology he wanted, and needed, so much to make. "I – I just wish he'd get there faster, just so I can… well…"
Patting his shoulder once more, assuring him there were no hard feelings, Kate then smiled.
"I know, lad… I know. Believe me, I want to see him wake up as much as you…" she said at last – waiting for some of the tension beneath her hand to ease before trying to ease it still further. "But bringing a human out of semi Ascension was'nae exactly covered in medical school…"
That won her a chorus of appreciative laughter – that of Rodney McKay the most welcome of all. And when he cracked a familiar insult in return, Kate knew this latest crisis of conscience had passed.
"You could always… um… try voodoo…"
"Din'nae ye tempt me, lad…" Kate shot back, trying to glare at him – and failing dismally. It was, after all, a bit tricky to be mad at someone when you were enjoying the same joke.
Instead she grinned back at him before turning back to check on her now thankfully calm patient – noting, in personal and professional relief, that his vitals had also settled to much steadier levels.
He was still deeply unconscious, of course, fighting God knew what in the depths of his mind. But whatever demons he'd found there, his father was still right alongside him, keeping him safe. And with two Becketts to tackle now, instead of just one feisty wee doctor who had enough stubbornness for the entire galaxy...?
Oh yes, Kate thought with a proudly satisfied smile, those unseen demons didn't stand a prayer. With that look on his face, there wasn't a thing on Earth, or off it, that Carson Beckett couldn't handle.