Coming Home
Spoilers: Not intentionally, but references to both seasons may slip in on occasion.
Rating: T for some mild language and potentially disturbing images in some chapters.
Disclaimer: I do not own Stargate Atlantis or any of the characters associated with it, unless you count Jesi.
Chapter Five
"Sheppard!" McKay watched in fascinated fear as Sheppard went rigid. "Carson, is--is he okay?"
"Aye, his blood pressure is up and his heart rate is elevated, but not dangerously so. It's not unlike an athlete out for a run." Beckett watched the monitor closely.
Ronon and Teyla stepped forward, flanking Sheppard on either side. Ronon eyed the pilot with concern. "Should he be doing this?"
"Would he have let anyone else try it?" Teyla countered.
Ronon grunted once then stood silently.
Sheppard was minutely aware of his surroundings. The concern from his friends only served to fuel his desire to fly. When his fingers connected with the cool metal box, a jolt of pure energy traversed up his arms and into his brain, establishing a link to a pilot's dream.
Sheppard found himself floating in open space, yet not really there. Absolute darkness surrounded him, but he could see light from twinkling stars in the distance. He thought of Atlantis and the world upon which she rested. Time blinked and he appeared instantly in orbit above the planet.
Catching on quickly, Sheppard thought about the Athosian village on the mainland. Like a virtual reality head's up display, he felt himself rush forward, zooming in for a close up. Exhilaration flared to life in his chest. He felt completely free of all things worldly. The heady euphoria sent him sailing through the clouds, zipping past large sea birds, and whizzing above children playing in the village. He was moving too fast! He struggled to control his flight path and speed, deciding to head back to space where he had more room to practice. With sporadic motions, he boomeranged back into orbit above the planet.
He briefly wondered if he could visit Earth, and was there, above his beautiful home world, before he'd completed the thought. Cool!
McKay startled at the sudden clash of alarms blaring from Beckett's medical equipment.
"Carson, what's wrong?" Weir shoved past Zelenka to peer over Beckett's shoulder.
Beckett waved the Ancient medical scanner over Sheppard's stiff body. "His heart rate and blood pressure are at dangerous levels. Something has his brain waves all out of kilter. We need to disconnect him from the artifact." Beckett punched a few buttons on the scanner. "Rodney, bring him back--now!"
McKay leaped forward and rounded on the rigidly standing pilot. He poked him in the shoulder as he'd done to rouse Jesi. "Colonel… time to come home. Sheppard?" He shook the unresponsive man's arm, receiving no reaction. "Ah, Carson? We have a small problem. I can't wake him."
"Try removing his fingers from the box, then!" Beckett shouted.
Teyla moved closer to Sheppard. She and McKay each grasped one of Sheppard's arms and tugged. "It is not working…"
Ronon stepped forward. "Let me try." The large man gripped the box tightly and gave a hard yank. Nothing happened. "McKay, you and Teyla hold the box. I'll get Sheppard." Ronon moved behind Sheppard and wrapped his large arms around the other man's waist. "Ready? PULL!"
The trio struggled to separate the man from the box. McKay and Teyla yanked and pulled, while Ronon grunted, trying to disconnect Sheppard without hurting him.
Atlantis watched with trepidation. Foolish boy! He left her no peace, always jumping headfirst into situations. He was going to send her to an early demise, literally.
She'd managed to help Jesi; now it was John's turn. She accessed her systems and sent out an almost undetectable electro-magnetic pulse.
Sheppard watched purple shadows drift across the landscape as Earth spun lazily, basking in the sunlight. Sharp pain exploded upward from his fingertips, radiating through his arms and straight to his brain.
Yanked up through the atmosphere and back into the blackness of space, he traveled at such rapid speeds the stars resembled comets, leaving contrails behind them as he rushed past. He spiraled downward at a deadly velocity, bracing for the inevitable impact, but darkness rose up and engulfed him before he hit bottom.
Unexpectedly, Sheppard's fingers detached from the box. McKay and Teyla tumbled back, landing in a tangle of arms and legs. Ronon and Sheppard sailed backwards. Instinctively, Ronon cradled Sheppard, his head absorbing most of the impact with the wall, groaning in pain as his body connected with the hard floor, darkness threatening to take him.
Weir and Zelenka bent to assist McKay and Teyla. The two struggled to their feet, a little unsteady. McKay shook off the ringing in his ears and quickly stowed the ancient artifact inside the containment device.
Beckett rushed to the heap that was Ronon and Sheppard, and began to disentangle them. "Ronon, you can let go now. Let me have him, son. I'll take good care of him." Beckett gently tried to pry the warrior's grip from around Sheppard's prone body. "Just let go of him, and stay put. You'll need some tending to as well, I'm sure."
Beckett's soothing voice helped clear Ronon's befuddled head a bit, and he relinquished Sheppard to the med team. Groaning, he raised a hand to the back of his head. It came away sticky with rich, red blood. He tried to sit up but there seemed to be something wrong with his posterior region. He writhed in pain until firm hands pushed him down.
"Ach, I said be still, lad, at least until I've had a chance to check you over." Beckett patted his thigh reassuringly.
Beckett turned his attention to Sheppard, directing his staff to load the unconscious aviator onto a gurney and transport him to the infirmary. Once Sheppard was enroute, McKay and Weir in tow, Beckett returned his focus to Ronon.
"Now, let's have a look at that bloody head of yours." Beckett probed the messy gash with expert fingers and tested Ronon's reflexes. "Do you feel up for a walk to the infirmary?"
Ronon's head throbbed with pain as he gave a slight, negative shake. "There's something wrong with my…bottom. I landed hard."
Beckett hid a smile. "Ach, you've probably suffered an impact injury to your coccyx. It's a gurney for you, then. We'll take a scan to rule out spinal injury, and stitch your head wound. You'll likely spend the night in the infirmary with Colonel Sheppard and Jesi." Beckett rose and moved away a few steps.
Teyla followed the doctor. "Dr. Beckett, what is a coccyx?" She asked softly with an alarmed glance in Ronon's direction.
"Well, lass, on Earth we call it a 'tailbone'. It's simply the bone mass located at the base of ones spine." Beckett gestured to his own rear end, and then flushed red when he realized what he'd done.
"Ah, yes, my people occasionally suffer similar injuries." Teyla shot an amused smile toward Ronon. "I fear he will not enjoy the humor of his situation."
"Aye, I've a wee inkling of the same sort." Beckett shared a small smile with the young Athosian woman before turning to his staff. "All right, lads, let's load him up!"
Weir sat in a rock-hard chair just outside the curtained area where Beckett was examining Sheppard. McKay paced in small irregular circles, gnawing at a hangnail on his thumb. Teyla stood watching Ronon sleep through a small gap in the privacy curtain.
McKay's pacing came to an abrupt halt and his voice rose in anxious waves. "Oh for crying out loud! How long can it take to check a person's vitals? Carson? Carson, I'm coming in!" McKay shoved back the curtain and stalked to the edge of Sheppard's bed. "Well?..."
Weir and Teyla quickly joined McKay, watching Beckett's face for signs that things were not going well.
"Rodney, he's going to be fine. His heart rate and blood pressure have settled. Now that his mind is disconnected from the artifact, he is resting comfortably. He will likely sleep through the rest of the day and most of the night, as well." Beckett dragged a hand through his hair and sighed deeply.
"You're sure, Carson?" Weir's worried frown had eased a bit.
"Aye, lass, I'm quite sure."
"How is Ronon?" Teyla asked.
"He has a mild concussion and his tailbone and lower back may be quite sore for a week or so. He'll be on bed rest until his head injury heals enough, then I'll release him for a few weeks of light duty. That should take care of his sore bum."
"And Jesi?" McKay asked quietly.
"She is also resting and should be fine tomorrow. I suggest you all go about the rest of your day and check back in the morning. I'll call you if anything changes." Beckett turned and headed for his office.
The three concerned friends stood facing each other, all thinking the same thing.
"I believe I shall sit with Ronon for a while, before I turn in. If you will excuse me…" Teyla headed for Ronon's bed and settled into the waiting chair.
"Ah, yes, um, I'll just do the same…only for Jesi…since, you know, John…can't." McKay stepped to Jesi's bed and took a seat.
"Well, looks like you're stuck with me, John." Weir smiled to herself as she dropped into the vacant spot next to Sheppard.
Earth appeared vulnerable from this vantage; suspended in the darkness, held in place by the invisible bonds of gravity, at the mercy of an angry sun. He watched her rotating slowly, tried to catch a glimpse of his favorite landmark as it drifted past. He closed his eyes and concentrated. Maybe he could think himself down to the surface. His sluggish mind spit out an image, and he shot forward unexpectedly, hurdling downward, his stomach left behind, splattered across the old man in the moon.
The voice in his mind shouted a warning. Control it!
He tried, he really did, but his internal joystick wasn't working and he kept rocketing downward. He was Icarus, run out of feathers. If only Daedalus could save him! The sub-zero wind tore at his clothing until all he wore were tattered scraps of cloth.
Concentrate!
I'm trying!--Aren't I? He asked the voice. The pressure in his head climbed until he thought his skull would splinter.
You need Jesi's help. Neither of you has enough control by yourselves.
He could sense the outer layer of the thermosphere rushing up to meet him. This is gonna hurt, he thought, and curled his body into a tight ball. Pain and heat seared his epidermis, melting it away in sticky layers. He opened his mouth to scream, but the rush of atmospheric gas choked off any sounds he might have made. The gas expanded against his insides, compressing the very core of his being.
You must work together. To unlock the power is to find the key to your destiny.
He could feel his limbs separating from his body, could feel his remaining skin split as he shattered into oblivion.
WAKE UP!
Sheppard's body thrashed wildly, twisting the blankets and knocking over something metal from the sounds of the crash that followed. His lungs burned with the need for oxygen. Firm pressure against his shoulders prevented a nasty tumble from the bed. The breezy hiss of an oxygen mask brought both mental and physical relief as someone slipped the device over his nose and mouth.
Cool fingers brushed at the damp hair plastered to his forehead. A murmured voice full of reassurance penetrated his senses; the words remained elusive but he grasped the sentiment--he was safe. He concentrated on the sweet feeling of those fingers gently trailing his face, soothing away his fear.
Exhaustion was his mistress and he followed her swaying skirt over the edge of sleep and into the welcome oblivion beyond.
TBC
