Aftermath
By Ann3
Writer's Note: Okay, I'm getting a bit worried here - what a bunch of sadists you are ! Here's poor wee Carson, all helpless and getting whumped silly, and here you all are, lapping it up ! Mind you, what does that say about the sadist who's writing it ? Not only that, but here's some more...!
Just a quick reference to The Hive, and I've included that truly chilling line from Michael at the start, just to set the scene. But aside from that, everything else is as before. Enjoy !
Chapter Twelve
Broken
'You're exactly what I need… now, let's begin…'
"Nooooo…! God, please, no… stop, please… stop… please, God, help me… no… noooooo…!"
She'd prepared them, as best she could, for the unknown horrors which now unfolded before them - just as she'd tried to assure her patient that those horrors wouldn't be real, that they couldn't hurt him.
But even Kate Heightmeyer felt utterly sickened as that patient lay writhing and screaming beside her. Every one of those assurances had been torn apart by a brutality which she just hadn't been trained to handle.
John Sheppard had experienced it, though, long before that Wraith queen had forced him, so painfully, to his knees. He knew exactly what Carson Beckett was going through, as yet another scream rang out beside him.
More to the point, he knew how to bring these frantic, thrashing struggles to a merciful end – a far more humane way than the means which a white-faced Kate Buchanan now held in her hands.
Restraining her patient to protect him from harm was all well and good, and he understood its reasoning. But for all that, John Sheppard wasn't ready to take that most desperate of measures. At least not yet.
Instead he sat at Carson's shoulder, looped his arms around his friend's chest, and braced himself – drawing on all the physical and mental strength he had as he sat back, against the bed-rest, and held on
He didn't say anything, make any attempt to speak. John knew it would be a waste of time. Trapped so deeply within a terror that no words could break, his friend was beyond all such reasoning
Instead he held onto the thrashing body in his arms, merely nodding his thanks for unexpected help – Ronon's superior height and muscle-power counting for little against the strength of total, utter terror.
For those who could only sit and helplessly watch, it was a surreal contest, too horrific to take in. Three people, struggling to restrain a new but already trusted friend. A surrogate brother. The most tender of lovers.
Ronon was now practically lying across Carson's feet, while John Sheppard clung to his right hand. From God alone knew where, Laura was finding the strength to restrain his wildly thrashing left.
And still Carson Beckett struggled and twisted and kicked, with more frenzied strength than all three combined.
Then a fourth contender stepped into the fray, playing its part in this most bizarre of battles – one that Kate Heightmeyer recognised with both relief and sickened realisation.
John Sheppard had recognised it too, as the frantically thrashing figure in his arms suddenly stilled – whimpering sobs still escaping from him, growing steadily fainter, as Carson slumped limp in his arms, his head rolling sideways across John's shoulder.
Meeting his eyes, Kate was already nodding, her expression of churning emotions an exact copy of his. Taking a deep breath, regaining her much needed composure, she then quietly explained it to the others.
"Michael's taken control through the first mind probe, and Carson knows he can no longer resist… he knows there's no point fighting any more, not against such unbearable pain… he's submitting…"
They had all guessed as much for themselves, of course, but that really was of very little comfort – Laura Cadman's voice, the first to shakily find itself, representing the bitter wish of an entire city.
"Promise me one thing, sir…? When we do find this bastard, you let me pull the trigger…?"
Her CO was nodding, in equally heartfelt agreement, before the question was halfway asked.
"That's a given, Lieutenant…" John Sheppard said at last, taking a deep, composing breath, before making her a soft, heartfelt promise.
"We'll find him, Laura… we will find him… and when we do, I'll be right there behind you…"