Note: Thanks for the continuing feedback – I think Nick has developed a following (I'm loving it). Thanks to Kerri (PyroDragon2006) for the loan of the leash comments.

The Wrong Place at the Wrong Time – Chapter 6

"They are not far ahead of us now and they're slowing down. The rain is making it harder for them to keep their footing, especially since they're injured. We should catch them within the hour," Ronon reported to Elizabeth.

Elizabeth and Teyla both looked relieved. Elizabeth rubbed the back of her neck and shook her head. "How are they still going? It'll be light soon. They've been on the run in the dark all night and . . . " She looked up at the sky, rain pelting her in the face. " . . . in the rain after two days of torture."

"It's Sheppard," said Ronon matter-of-factly.

"I agree," said Teyla, without hesitation.

Elizabeth smiled a little as she looked at the two warriors before her. "And why do you say that?"

Ronon shrugged his shoulders. "Sheppard will not stop until he makes it to the gate or gets captured or killed. He doesn't quit, especially if he's protecting someone."

Teyla nodded in agreement. "Ronon is right. Colonel Sheppard can be very . . . stubborn about some things. He takes his responsibility very seriously."

Elizabeth grinned and thought of all the times they had thought John dead, only to have him waltz through the gate or show up on the Daedalus. Sometimes she thought maybe he really was invincible. She rued the day when that thought was proven wrong, but she wasn't ready for today to be that day. She was bone tired, but there was no way they were giving up on him. "Let's go get them."

oOo

John stopped and motioned for Nick to stop. They stood in silence for several seconds, listening to the sound of the rain gently hitting the leaves of the canopy above their head. If they hadn't been on the run and miserable, it would have been a relaxing sound.

"I think I heard something," whispered John. They stood in the rain, shivering and leaning heavily against one another.

"It's rain," whispered Nick back to him.

John rolled his eyes. "Not the rain, I heard people, footsteps. They're gaining on us. We've got to take cover somewhere."

Nick looked around nervously. "John . . . I don't see anywhere to hide and . . . I can't run another step. I'm sorry, I don't think I can do this any more."

"Yes, you can," he said firmly, but quietly. "Just give me a minute." He looked around for a few seconds, his eyes searching and his mind racing. "Got it." He urged Nick forward to a rock outcropping about twenty feet away. The rock shelf was about eight feet off the ground and stuck out from the wall of stone another four feet. Scrubby bushes lined one side of the precipice.

"We climb up there and hide behind those bushes." John pointed up to the rocky outcropping. "If there's only one or two, I can jump on them and take them out. Maybe we can get their weapons or something useful. Heck, maybe we can take their shirts. If it's too many, we'll just lay low and hope they don't see us."

Nick looked up at the climb it would take to get them up to the rock shelf above. The rocks were slippery and steep, with something that looked like moss covering most of their surface. He figured they were a lot more likely to fall and break their neck than they were to actually make it all the way up. His whole body ached and shivered, but his ribs were hurting so bad he could barely breathe. He turned back to John, trying to steel his resolve and do this one last thing before he completely collapsed.

"I'll help you. If we both jump them, we'll have a better chance."

John looked uncertain. "This is more my area, Nick. Maybe you'd better let me handle it."

"Look, John, I know I'm not a soldier and I'm not trained to fight like you are, but let's get real here. You can barely stand. Unless our attacker is that baby kitten we were discussing earlier, you're going to need some help. Besides, I'd do just about anything for a shirt right now. I can't take a chance on you letting it get away. Heck, they might even have jackets."

John's eyebrows shot up. "Jackets? I didn't think of that. What are we waiting for? I'll give you a boost up. When we get in position, just be really still and quiet and wait on my signal. Then we'll jump on the guy and knock him out."

Nick grinned. "Hey, we have a plan."

John grinned back and patted Nick on the shoulder. "Yes, Nick, we have a plan."

oOo

Ronon had gotten ahead of the others, fueled by his desire to find Sheppard and Strauhan and more capable of moving quickly in the adverse conditions, thanks to his years as a runner. He knew they were close and he was trying to listen for them. He had just started to call out to them, when he caught movement in his peripheral vision. Before he could get his stunner drawn, he was slammed into the ground.

Elizabeth, Teyla, and Major Lorne had been hurrying to catch up to Ronon when they saw the two dark figures knock Ronon down. They ran to cover the distance between them and the Satedan as quickly as possible. The two figures came after Ronon sluggishly, giving him time to get to his feet. The three stood in a semi-circle, a sort of stand off, for several seconds as the others caught up and stopped behind Ronon.

"Ronon?" said one of the figures, the voice low and scratchy, yet somehow familiar.

Elizabeth squinted in the gray light that was just beginning to filter through the trees. Neither man wore a shirt. She was beginning to see that both of them were battered and dirty and shivering in the soft morning rain. "John?"

John shifted his gaze past the large man he now recognized as Ronon to the figures behind him. "Elizabeth?" He dropped his arms to his sides, the fight stance dissipating almost instantly. He breathed a sigh of relief as he felt some the tension leave his aching muscles. He turned to Nick, whose face wore an expression of reserved hope. "It's okay, Nick. I think our rescue team is here."

Nick's posture relaxed and he brought his arm up protectively over his ribs. "Thank God," he whispered. He looked up at Ronon apologetically. "Sorry about that Ronon. We . . . thought you were someone else."

Ronon just smiled and slapped Nick on the back, almost knocking him over. "No problem, doc. I'll forgive you this time. Just remember this the next time you have something sharp with my name on it."

Elizabeth rushed over to stand in front of John as Lorne could be heard contacting the jumper. "John, we came to get you, but you had already escaped."

John nodded. "Sorry we couldn't wait. They came for us and . . . I wasn't doing that again."

Elizabeth noticed the tremor in John's hand, more than she would have expected from the cold. "Did that Enforcer guy get you with that . . . "

"Neurodisrupter. Yes, more than once. That's why we had to get out of there. Well, that, and they were threatening to execute us. I decided we had worn out our welcome."

"I'm sorry it took us so long." She started to step forward a step, but Lorne came up beside them.

"The jumper has found a small clearing about half a mile away. It's just big enough to land in, so they're going to meet us there. Can you guys walk that far?"

Nick and John looked at one another and smiled, saying in unison, "Piece of cake."

Teyla and Elizabeth raised their eyebrows and smiled at the two. Lorne had a distinct smirk on his face as he passed on some more information. "Dr. Beckett said he would see you both when we got there."

John and Nick looked at each other uncertainly. Nick finally said, "I think there's still time to go back to the prison."

Elizabeth shook her head. "Oh, no you don't. Not after I walked around in the woods all night looking for you in the rain. Not on your life. You two are headed for a nice stay in the infirmary, so get used to it. Now get moving."

As they began walking, John leaned against Nick and whispered, "Atlantis's enforcer."

"I heard that!"

oOo

Beckett saw them coming even before they reached the edge of the clearing. He and Marcy each grabbed a blanket and hurried to meet them, knowing that Nick and John had been out all night in the rain and were probably cold. As they stepped out into the early morning sunlight, he was shocked at the appearance of the two.

John and Nick were still leaning heavily against one another, having stubbornly refused help in completing their trip. Still shirtless, their battered and bruised torsos stood in stark contrast to their actions. Once the tension of trying to escape more torture had dissolved away, they had given in to giddy happiness. They emerged from the forest weaving and singing "Ninety-nine Bottles of Beer on the Wall" like a couple of drunks.

After a moment's hesitation, Carson and Marcy pushed forward and each threw a blanket around one of the shivering forms. The prodigals stopped singing to pull the warm cover closer around their shoulders, obviously relishing the feel of the soft fabric on their cold skin. They didn't pull away when Carson took hold of John's arm and Marcy took hold of Nick's. The two medical personnel exchanged a glance as they picked up on the shivering of their two new patients. The four walked quietly toward the jumper, Nick and John feeling what was left of their strength beginning to fade away. As they reached the open back hatch and looked in, John stopped and pulled away from Carson.

"Carson, I want you to note that I am walking and conscious going into the jumper. I know you said you wanted us walking through the gate, but I doubt I can hike that far, so this will have to do."

As John trudged up the ramp, Nick took a step to follow him. 'Yeah, me too, what he said." They made it to the seats along the sides of the cargo hold and eased themselves down.

Carson sighed and shook his head as he looked at Marcy. "This wasn't exactly what I had in mind."

John looked at Nick. "See, I told you we'd make it."

A shadow fell across them as Ronon stepped into the back of the jumper, followed by Teyla and Elizabeth. John looked up at the tracker. "Thanks, big guy. Thanks, all of you. Can we go home please? I'm tired of this planet."

Elizabeth nodded and smiled at Teyla before turning back to John. "I'll bet you are. Major Lorne, let's go home."

Lorne closed the ramp and motioned to the pilot, as he turned on his radio and instructed the other jumpers about picking up the remaining men on the surface.

John and Nick leaned their head back against the wall and closed their eyes, but their rest was short lived. As the jumper lifted off the ground, Carson and Marcy began tending to the wounded men.

Without opening his eyes, Nick gently nudged John in the arm. "You realize the hard part is just beginning, right?"

John grinned and pulled the blanket around his shoulders tighter. "Yeah, but if they'll give me a shirt or another blanket, I don't care."

oOo

When the back hatch opened in Atlantis, John immediately began trying to get up. Carson pushed him back down by the shoulders. "Now where do you think you're going? I have a gurney with your name on it."

John pulled away and stood up, swaying slightly as he stood there. "I can make it." He started down the ramp with Carson close behind. "Colonel, you are riding to the infirmary. You have . . . "

As John reached the bottom of the ramp, his body stiffened and he moaned as he drew in a sharp breath. Nick recognized the symptoms and jumped to his feet. "John . . . Carson, get him."

Beckett stepped forward quickly, catching John as his body began to shake and tremble and he crumpled toward the ground. Beckett and the nurse standing beside the waiting gurney lowered John to the ground, trying to control the jerking and twitching so that he didn't hurt himself any further. Nick was there beside them in an instant.

As John's body began to relax, Carson turned to Nick. "What the heck was that? What did they do to the two of you?"

Nick sighed. "They had this thing that they jabbed him with several times. They said it disrupted neural pathways. It causes muscle cramps and tremors and fires up pain receptors. Help me roll him over a minute."

Nick, Carson, and the nurse rolled John over on his side and Nick pointed to the places where the Enforcer had stuck John with the neurodisrupter. "He got him once in the lower back and again at the base of the neck. I'm afraid he set that stupid thing off more than once when he hit him in the neck and it's awfully close to the spinal cord." They let John roll over on his back, his body still shaking with tremors. "He had an episode like this on the planet. I don't know if he's supposed to be having these lingering effects or not, but my guess is not."

"Did they jab you with that thing?" asked Carson, trying to look Nick over.

"Just once, but I haven't had anything like this. I'm almost sure it's in response to where he hit him or how often or some combination of both."

Carson nodded. "Okay, let's get him on the stretcher and to the infirmary. I can't do anything for him here." Ronon stepped in to help Carson and one of the nurses lift John onto the gurney, purposely elbowing Nick out of the way as he did so. As they rolled it away, Carson turned toward Nick.

"Let's get you settled, because you're riding too and I want no arguments."

Nick just nodded as he stepped forward. He felt like crap and was pretty certain he couldn't walk across the room, much less all the way to the infirmary. Mostly he was just tired of playing like he was strong and brave. Coming along side the gurney, he suddenly dropped to his knees and doubled over, grunting in pain as he did so.

"Bloody heck, what now? Nick, talk to me." Carson kneeled down beside Nick and put his arm around his shoulder to steady him as Nick slid sideways against him, his body going limp. "Nick?"

As Carson shifted, Nick rolled over slightly where the CMO could see his face. He was unconscious and the doctor was a bit surprised at how pale he was, his skin cool and clammy. Carson quickly eased Nick the rest of the way to the floor and began checking his ribs and abdomen. Marcy called out his pulse and blood pressure as Carson worked.

"Let's get him on the gurney. Call ahead and tell them to prep an OR, he's bleeding internally. They'll need to start pulling blood and notify the surgical team to get scrubbed." Beckett continued to bark out orders as they hurriedly left the jumper bay.

Elizabeth watched as Rodney nearly collided with the gurney as he rushed into the jumper bay, losing one of his crutches in the encounter. Teyla walked over and picked up the errant walking aid, handing it to Rodney as he leaned against the wall, his eyes wide and his mouth open. "What was that? We should install traffic lights or speed limit signs in this place. Was that a gurney, who's hurt?" Rodney frowned. "Let me guess, Sheppard."

"No," said Elizabeth. "That was Nick."

"Oh," responded Rodney, looking and sounding surprised.

"John's stretcher is probably to the infirmary by now."

Rodney nodded his head and waved his hand. "There you go. What did they do to them this time?" He suddenly looked worried. "They are going to be okay, right?"

"I hope so, Rodney, but we need to get to the infirmary. I don't really know how serious their injuries are. They weren't very cooperative in the jumper, so Carson didn't get much outside their vital signs. They seemed to need to get back to Atlantis before they could let down."

"That is understandable," commented Ronon.

"Really?" asked Elizabeth, noting Teyla nodding in agreement. She didn't really understand, but since the other soldiers on John's team seemed to, she decided to let it pass.

"I ask you, how could anyone else but Sheppard turn a meet and greet into such a fiasco?" Rodney backed up a step when all of them glared at him. "What?" He brushed them off, ignoring the implication of their looks. "You know, Nick acts just like him. Elizabeth, you better not let the two of them out by themselves if you don't want a repeat of this little adventure. Personally, I think they should be kept on a leash."

Elizabeth frowned. "That's a little harsh, don't you think?"

"Oh, please, tell me that after we visit them in the infirmary. Speaking of which . . . " McKay turned and headed toward the infirmary with the others following behind him.

oOo

Kelly had been going off duty when the report came in that they had Nick and John and would be back to Atlantis shortly. She had heard enough reports to know that they were injured and would be brought to the infirmary, so she decided the best course of action was to wait there. She paced, alternately wringing her hands and beating her fist against her thigh until she heard Belinda talking to one of the nurses on the radio. She couldn't hear what the other end was saying, but she could see Belinda's face and it was making her nervous.

"What is it?" Kelly asked when she was sure Belinda was through receiving the information.

"I've gotta get the surgical team together, Kelly. Nick's bleeding internally and they are on their way." She gave Kelly's hand a squeeze and left to get the OR ready. Kelly just stood in the center of the infirmary, lost in her thoughts for a few moments.

John came in first and Kelly thought he looked pretty bad. Beaten, bloody, and bruised, his skin was pale and his body mottled with abrasions. The medical staff immediately began starting an IV and cleaning him up. She couldn't help but notice the way his body trembled and shook. Kelly felt a brief flash of anger at him for letting Nick get hurt so badly, but it passed almost instantly when he moaned in pain. She knew he would have done everything in his power to protect those around him, she'd seen it much too often.

They hadn't been working on him long when a second stretcher came in with Nick. He was so pale and still that she thought maybe he hadn't made it for a second. Clearing her head, she realized they wouldn't be frantically tending to him as they were if he were already dead.

She was almost in a daze as she watched them finish cutting his clothes off and start an IV. She had never really noticed how lean and muscular he was, reminding her of the way Colonel Sheppard was built. They had often commented on how similar to two were, with new people often mistaking them for brothers. She had seen Sheppard in all kinds of conditions as he racked up his frequent flyer miles in the infirmary, but it occurred to her that she'd never seen Nick under such conditions. She hoped he wasn't about to mimic the colonel in habits as well as looks.

She watched as they connected monitors, checked his injuries, and constantly evaluated his vitals. It seemed only a few minutes before they were whisking him off to surgery. Another team still worked on John, but it didn't seem nearly so frantic. For a brief second, she wished their places were reversed, and then the guilt of having such a thought almost knocked her down. She shuddered and wrapped her arms around her middle, glad that no one could read her thoughts. What was wrong with her?

"Kelly, why don't you come sit with us?"

She looked up to find Elizabeth Weir gripping her arm and gently leading her to the waiting area. This wasn't right. She was supposed to be on the job working on the wounded, not sitting in the waiting area longing to hear about one of them. This wasn't right at all.

TBC