A/N: Blimey. I almost forgot to post before I went to bed (too busy reading 'It's Just There' and other classic mcweir fic, hehe) so thanks to KateCayce for a timely review :D
Chapter Five
"Come on, Elizabeth. Don't give up on me, hon. Just trust me, please?" he willed her to open her eyes and look at him, all the while silently wishing for the storm to break, the heavens to open, and the rain to put out the fire. Taking his two hands and placing them firmly on the sides of her face, he leaned forward and placed his forehead on hers, and whispered to her, barely loud enough over the hungry crackles of the flames.
"Elizabeth. I can't lose you. I just found you. We just found each other. I need you, I love you. Stay with me, please?"
Elizabeth blinked and stared with big, frightened eyes at him. "Rodney? I… I'm sorry. I can't…"
He felt her go weak, "It's OK, honey, I know. Just get down close to the floor, come on." Rodney felt relief flood through him in hot waves as he pulled her down with him, or rather, helped her fall to her knees. He pressed his face close to the floor and almost cried with relief as he sucked a mouthful of cooler air. "Come on, Elizabeth, right down." He gently and quickly got the leader of Atlantis to lie face down, close to the wall as far from the fire as possible. She coughed as her lungs took in the draught along the floor. Rodney held an arm around her as he lay close, protecting her from the heat as much as he could.
He might have laughed, or cried, as he hugged her, but it would have used too much air. Then the thought hit him like a ton of bricks. They weren't out of it yet. In maybe less than a minute, the roof was going to go up like a tinderbox, and they were dead meat. Kind of roasted meat, that is. He wasn't sure he could do anything about that, unless…
With his eyes almost shut against the heat, and his nostrils burning painfully, he turned his head and looked at the burning wall. His head slumped to the floor as he realised the wall, although furiously alight, was very much solid looking. Not even a heroic leap through flames would save them. Stuff liked that probably only worked in movies anyway. He turned his head back and buried it into Elizabeth's hair. It was Sheppard now, or nothing.
0o0o0
Rodney awoke to the dull whiteness of the infirmary. Blinking, he let himself feel his chest rise and fall, let himself register all parts of his body. Satisfied he was alive, basically intact, and only mildly in discomfort, he rolled his head to the side, to see who was around.
His soul melted in relief as he saw a very beautiful, most definitely alive, and perfectly peaceful Elizabeth lying in the neighbouring bed. And no tubes or wires to speak of.
Satisfied that all was well, he shut his eyes and let go.
The next time he woke, Carson was peering at him.
"Rodney? You there, lad?"
Rodney rolled his eyes. "No. It's the Stay-Puft Man."
"Oh, good," Carson smiled, "Just take it easy, I'm going to let Colonel Sheppard know you are both awake."
Rodney glanced over and saw Elizabeth smiling at him. She was sitting up, sheets tucked around her, tidy and comfortable. She looked a little nervous though.
"Elizabeth. Are you OK? Sheppard must have…"
"Yes, yes he did. Thank goodness. But… thank you, Rodney."
Rodney pushed his arms under himself and struggled upright, fighting the dizziness, "You were… I couldn't…"
She reached a hand towards him, and rested it on the side of her bed, "Sorry, Rodney, I… Thank you.""
He shook his head, throwing the covers aside and hauling his legs over the edge, pausing to catch his breath. "You were terrified. I've never seen you so… I thought we weren't going to make it."
Elizabeth looked down, pulled her hands together anxiously, "I've never been so scared. At least, not since I was a young girl." She stopped for a moment, shut her eyes briefly, and continued, slowly and quietly. "I was on vacation. I saw some other children rescued from a barn fire. They were so close to death... It all happened so fast. It could have been me… I was so lucky…" she looked at him, "I thought it was going to be me this time. Rodney… thank you so much, I…" She squeezed her eyes tight shut, and sat very still for a moment. Then she let out a small sob.
Rodney heaved himself upright and wobbled across to her bed, thudding down onto it, and taking her in his arms, feeling her hands curl around him.
"It's OK, honey. I'm here. You're safe now. Shhh…" he rubbed her back gently and rocked her back and forth as she cried quietly.
TBC