Part 10 – Let me Help

Rodney eventually left Beckett's office to join the others gathered around John's bed. He nearly cried in shock at the sight of his friend's deterioration since the morning. Elizabeth was holding John's hand looking as if she was about to burst into tears. Teyla was on the other side having taken over the nurse's job for the moment as she cooled his brow with an ice-cold cloth. Ronon stood dejected and sullen unable to look directly at the deadly white figure before him. Instead, he watched the monitors with their reassuring lines and bleeps telling him that Sheppard was still with them.

Nobody looked up as Rodney moved to stand near Elizabeth. "Maybe the monks can help him," he murmured.

"How's that, Rodney?" Carson questioned as everyone listened in.

"Well, they did mention something about herbal remedies, so we've got nothing to lose by going back there and asking for their help. You never know, maybe they've got a miracle cure or something?"

Carson looked unsure. "He's going to need some more than herbs and from what I gather, Rodney, they're not exactly an advanced society but as ya said, we've got nothing to lose."

Elizabeth looked towards Teyla and Ronon. "Okay, you two go and see if they can do anything."

"Oh, no, no, that's my job." McKay put in. "It was my idea and I'm the one to go."

"In case you've forgotten, Rodney, they don't want you on their planet ever again. It could bring us even more trouble and punishment for you." Elizabeth pleaded.

Rodney threw up his hands. "I'd suffer a beating just for the chance of getting Sheppard some help and if they did that to an unarmed man then I guess…well, I guess they aren't worth dealing with anyway. Please give me this chance?"

Elizabeth looked at the others before turning back to McKay. "I don't like it but…okay. Teyla you go with him," she requested.

The Athosian nodded her head in agreement. "Then we had better go as quickly as possible."

Rodney nodded and turned to leave but suddenly changing his mind, he went back to John and took his unusually warm hand. "You'd better hang on in there, Sheppard or else I'll…I'll," but his voice broke before he could say anymore. Turning quickly, he marched out of the infirmary as Teyla rushed to catch him up.

-SGA-

It was early afternoon on Dalenia when Rodney and Teyla entered the town. Without stopping, McKay led the way towards the monastery even though many towns' people protested his presence. Unperturbed, he kept on until he reached the large wooden entry door, giving it several loud knocks. Teyla stood close by, unarmed but ready to defend him if necessary. It took several more knocks before someone eventually opened the door.

The monk took one look at McKay and went to shut the door again but Teyla put her foot in. "Please listen to what he has to say," she requested.

"He is not welcome here and neither are you."

"Yes, yes, I know all about your little prejudices but I promise I won't touch anything. I have to speak to Vatu immediately about a matter of utmost urgency. If it offends your order to let a woman in then Teyla can wait outside. "

The monk looked unsure about what to do. "It is not the fact that she is a woman that bothers me, it is her mode of dress."

Teyla looked down and realized for the first time that she was still in just her skimpy top. In her haste, she'd left her tac vest and jacket behind. "It is all right, I understand and I will wait for Dr. McKay here but please let him see Vatu," she begged.

"Very well, I will see what I can do but please wait here." Without another word, the monk closed the door.

"Well, that went down well didn't it?" muttered McKay.

"Have faith, Dr. McKay, I believe Vatu will see you."

Just as Rodney was about to reply his radio came alive with Elizabeth's worried voice. McKay got his pounding heart in order as he answered the call. "Yes, what is it?"

"Sorry to disturb you, Rodney, but I just had to know how things are progressing."

"Oh boy, you gave me a scare there, for a minute I thought…"

Elizabeth suddenly realized her mistake. "Oh goodness, Rodney, I'm so sorry. He's about the same and hanging on in there like you ordered."

"That's good to hear. I'm trying to get permission to see Vatu at the moment but they're taking their time."

"Okay, I won't contact you again for a while. I hope you come back soon. Weir out."

Clicking his radio off, McKay turned when he heard the door creek as it opened to show Vatu glaring at him. "What is so important that you return to us regardless of our warning?"

It was obvious that he wasn't being allowed in, so McKay was forced to make his appeal where he stood. "Okay, you remember Colonel Sheppard, the guy you beat the crap out of a few days ago, well it appears he's picked up some nasty bug…err…bacteria due to your mistreatment and he's currently lying on our infirmary and slowly dying from it."

Vatu looked shaken. "This can't be so."

"You think I made all this up?"

"No, I believe you, Dr. McKay. Please come inside and wait while we meditate over this matter. If there is a way to help, then Tyleen will show us. However, our warning still stands, you must not touch anything."

"Yes, yes, I promise but you must understand we haven't got much time before…"

"I understand and we will try to keep our meditation short." With that, Vatu left Rodney to find his own way into the building.

"I will wait for you here, Dr. McKay." Teyla spoke as Rodney ventured in.

Rodney nodded and ventured deeper into the building being wary not to touch anything although one or two encased books and manuscripts looked interesting. Eventually, he entered the shrine room to find that Vatu and the monks weren't there. Heading towards the shrine, he peered at it from a safe distance.

"I hope you go no closer." Vatu's voice called out making McKay jump several inches.

"Oh, no, I wouldn't think of it." Rodney reassured stepping back a bit. "Err…aren't you supposed to be meditating or something," he gestured.

"We already have. I told you it would be short, Tyleen gave us the answer very quickly. Several of the monks are preparing a medicine but to administer it will require our presence."

What is she, some kind of computer or something McKay thought? Answering Vatu, he said. "I think he's too sick to bring him here, so your people will have to come to us." If Elizabeth allows it, he amended to himself.

"We have never traveled through the ring," Vatu declared, "But for him we will do it. Let us finish with our preparations then I will come with our healer and three others to your world."

Rodney nodded in agreement wondering how the heck he was going to explain this to Weir. "Err…look, I'll go and wait outside with Teyla. I have to contact our home and make arrangements for your visit."

"Very well that is probably for the best as I sense that you are still longing to touch our shrine."

McKay gave him a guilty grin before backing off to join Teyla.

-SGA-

Rodney was busy studying some inscriptions on a wall near the entryway when Vatu and four monks finally came out carry various wooden containers and a book.

After a short greeting, they silently made their way towards the Stargate. It hadn't taken McKay long to convince Weir to allow the monks to come to Atlantis. Then again, Rodney hadn't been all that surprised, when it came to John Sheppard then Elizabeth would do almost anything for him.

The town's folk seemed taken back by the sight of Vatu and the others, so Rodney concluded that this wasn't an everyday event. They even gathered an escort of curious onlookers along the way, including a group of giggling children bent on annoying McKay.

Eventually, they arrived at the gate and McKay disengaged himself from the kids long enough to dial Atlantis and send through his IDC.

-SGA-

As McKay's IDC came though everyone in the gate room stopped what they were doing to watch curiously, as the event horizon slurped to release their people plus the five holy men in their bright orange robes.

Elizabeth came down the stairs to greet them. "Hallo, I'm Dr. Weir. Welcome to Atlantis." Elizabeth stated.

Vatu seemed somewhat surprised. "Thank you. However, I did not expect to see the city of the Ancients."

"You know about Atlantis?" Weir asked.

"Yes, through legend and our holy books but come we must not delay, so please take us to the colonel."

Weir nodded and quickly led the way to the infirmary.

Carson and the medical staff all felt compelled to move aside as Vatu and the monks approached John's bed. McKay and Teyla were appalled to see that Sheppard had deteriorated even more in the few hours since they had been away. They began to doubt if anything more could be done for him, which made McKay angry, guilty and sad all at the same time.

Vatu turned to Weir and McKay. "The aura is bad in here. These machines and things," he gestured towards to the numerous drips, "disturb the balance are they necessary?"

Dr. Beckett stepped forward. "They most certain are, they're the only thing that's keeping him alive right now and I certainly won't be moving them."

Vatu looked dismayed by this news. "Very well but can you put the sound down on this noisy machine," he said pointing to the heart monitor.

Carson relented. "Aye, in fact it only monitors his vitals, so I guess we can turn it off for a while but the IV's stay."

As Carson moved to push the monitors aside, Vatu and the healers began to make preparations. They opened the boxes to extract firstly a miniature figurine of Tyleen, which they placed reverently near the bed, and then various bottles of dark looking medicine and finally some rather bulbous ugly looking leaves.

Carson and Rodney exchanged a look of dismay each knowing what the other was thinking - a bloody traveling medicine show. Rodney felt like crying while Carson seemed resigned for they really didn't have anything to lose. Without help, John Sheppard would die in a matter of hours not days as he had first predicted.

tbc

I'm afraid it's a bit of a short chapter but hopefully the final part will be up tomorrow. Enjoy and please review.