Hold On
…Chapter Eight …
A/N Thank you very much for all the follows, favourites and reviews left for this story – makes such a difference you know!...This is the last chapter and an epilogue as well.
SGA SGA SGA
Sheppard was drowning.
The ocean water leaked into the cracked lid of the canopy as it slid into the ocean soaking him in a matter of seconds. The cold took his breath and stalled any frantic movements he should have been doing to get free.
Ice gripped his heart, lungs and joints and the brain freeze he was experiencing was like no ice-cream he had ever ate, but if he was to survive this he had to get out of the dart – and now, so he forced the controls to obey him; but they wouldn't.
Brute strength took over and he mustered what little he had left to forcibly jab his elbow into the crack to make it wider for him to escape from. He hardly felt the extra pain as he continued to desperately hammer on it, but it only gave slightly under the pressure and soon he was encased in darkness as the depth of the ocean became the known and water flooded his lungs. He felt his eyes close; once, twice and then he dimly felt himself being pulled up and out of the dart. His eyes took in a dark shape and bubbles; lots of bubbles full of rainbows and light. He blinked and didn't fight against the cold and smooth grip on his face and neck. His lungs were protesting now and he was dimly aware of something encompassing his whole body, but it was not unpleasant and somehow along the way he had stopped panicking.
The upward pull continued for what felt like an age as he fought consciousness, but it was probably only a matter of seconds. The darkness became a distant memory and soon the sky was a fingertips reach away and he broke the surface, coughing and spluttering but breathing… yeah, breathing…Ronon?
He wanted to help his rescuer by swimming himself, but he was on his last reserves, so could only leave the slow, smooth process of depositing him on dry land to his rescuer who held him in what felt like a warm, flowing cloak. Feeling delirious and almost asleep, he wondered if he was hallucinating when up ahead he noticed a very soaked, weak Satedan being gently placed on the pier by what he could only describe as a huge stingray. He balked, suddenly unsure of what was happening and then he felt it – a connection.
The sea creature holding him was responsive to his curious mind, and somehow was able to convey its intention to save him into his mind. Sheppard relaxed and started to breathe a bit better, coughing up sea water as he neared Ronon.
The creature held him still as it reached the edge of the pier where the other one had just placed Ronon. Sheppard raised a wobbly head, coughing and spluttering, and then took in the wonderful sight of not only Ronon, safe and well; but of the rest of his team mates, including Carson, run towards them in disbelief.
He felt himself being lifted out of the water and he slid beside Ronon who was trying to sit up but looked shell-shocked at what was happening. Gently the creature slid back into the water and the two friends grasped each other's jackets for support as they watched them disappear back under the water; the rainbow trail following them as they went.
Ronon at last managed to get himself into a sitting position and pulled Sheppard onto his back.
"Shh…Sheppard…?" He shivered, trying to pull him across his legs.
Sheppard floundered for a moment but then fell still.
"I'm…not good…R'n…" and closed his eyes.
Ronon propped himself up on a wobbly arm, and holding tight to Sheppard, he looked over his shoulder and shouted out for Carson to hurry.
His team mates arrived as he was shouting and he relinquished his hold on Sheppard to Carson who fell to his knees to push a shaking couple of fingers into Sheppard's neck.
"Was he conscious at all?" He asked of the Satedan as Teyla started to rub his arms and Rodney shouted on his radio for medical assistance.
"Only closed his…eyes…just now."
Carson took in his pale complexion and glassy eyes. "Teyla, I have to monitor Sheppard and press on these wounds until Keller gets here, lay Ronon down and prop up his legs; he may be going into shock."
"Did you see that? Did everyone see that?" Rodney couldn't believe his eyes.
"Yes, Rodney, we did indeed witness something most unusual." She looked down at Ronon. "Are you okay?"
"Cold, just. Sheppard?"
"Is hanging on, son. Now, just lie there quietly until… great here they come." Carson had spied his medical team come running with two gurneys and extra medical equipment.
Teyla looked from Ronon and then to Sheppard and reached out a shaky hand to touch his head. "I thought he had died!"
Rodney came to kneel by Carson's side and didn't protest as Carson guided his hand to press on the wound on Sheppard's leg. "Should have known he would have survived earlier. If anybody could, it would have been him. But how? That's what I want to know!"
"It's a long story, Rodney. Now, keep pressing."
"You know about it, were you there?"
"Let's just say that there were nets and ledges involved and I cannae think about telling you it all just now."
Teyla smiled and put her hand over his as he examined the gunshot wound and bump on Sheppard's brow. "Thank you Carson."
Carson closed his eyes and for a second; reliving the scenes, and could not look her in the face, but when he did, he smiled a broad smile and breathed out slowly.
"This will be some de-brief."
Rodney took in Sheppard lying supine and silent. "He did it again though, didn't he?" His voice almost a whisper.
"Did what, Rodney?" Teyla asked.
"Saved the city…and us."
"Aye he did that..." Carson gripped his shoulder. "…and thanks to you for raising the shields…"
"That's just it, I didn't! They came on by themselves."
Throughout the next few minutes of stabilising the two downed friends and getting them on the gurney's, the team heard the noises the creatures had made earlier when they had first arrived and looked towards the towers and spires of Atlantis as they all began to slide down them and into the water. Their bodies shimmered, the now familiar rainbow colours seeming to shine brighter now that the storms caused by weather and the threats of man and Wraith had passed over.
"Could it be?" Rodney thought out loud.
Just at that Radek came running up to Rodney, tablet in hand and a rather flushed and excited face.
"Rodney, the creatures! I can't explain it, but their energy signatures are showing up as Ancient! I'm pretty sure they had something to do with reinforcing the shields earlier, they…" Radek stopped when he took in the scene of carnage all around him. He gulped, "eh, sorry…oh my, the Colonel, Ronon…are they okay?"
"They will be, now that they are on their way to the infirmary. So, these creatures must be on the database…get to work on that Radek and let me know."
Carson grabbed his elbow. "Good call, Rodney…you are going to the infirmary as well."
Rodney looked at Sheppard's stretcher as it was fast being wheeled away. "Don't worry Carson, I want to be there when he wakes up!"
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Many times Sheppard's team had sat waiting on the outcome of his latest misadventure. This time was no different, and they either sat in chairs, as in Teyla and Rodney's case, or unwillingly in bed, as was Ronon's. He had just woken up and finally felt warm enough and strong enough to recount his tale to them all, including Woolsey, who stood at the bottom of his bed, occasionally shaking his head but believing every word he heard.
"The I.O.A. will be most interested in these creatures. I'm glad they left us before they demanded we capture one for further study mind you."
"And am I glad I never did reach one in time to take a slice out of it for 'science' sake!" Ronon added.
"True!" Woolsey said.
"Do you think they came to help us? Somehow knowing about the Wraith risk?" Teyla asked.
""Perhaps. In this galaxy there are few things I actually can explain! Speaking of which, Rodney, are we safe?"
"These two darts had been scouting quite far out according to the readings. With the cloak now up, I doubt they will find us. They have changed course anyway, so for now we are safe."
Ronon shifted on the bed and Teyla adjusted his blankets until he swung her hand away. Teyla smiled towards him, but let it be. He hated a fuss even worse than Sheppard did.
The man in question, at that moment, was wheeled into the space beside Ronon and Teyla stood up from her chair until he was in place and hooked up to a plethora of equipment. She then took up the hand that was free of a sling and stroked the cool flesh - glad she could do it again and that they had not lost him forever.
Silence greeted Carson and he took up a chair himself on the other side of Sheppard's bed, placing his elbows on the covers and placing his hands over his eyes.
"Carson?" Rodney asked, all worried.
"S'kay. I'm just tired. Need my bed." He yawned as proof. "But first I can tell you that between bullet wounds and a huge amount of bruising, blood loss, dehydration, exhaustion and near drowning, we have one sick Colonel on our hands and he is going to take some time to recover from this."
Silence followed again and Carson grimaced at the casual way he had announced the news. "Sorry. Guess I am still in a state of shock myself at his condition."
"Get to bed, doc." Ronon said.
Carson laughed. "This coming from you!"
"I didn't scale an outside tower in a storm with a battered Sheppard."
Carson stood and walked to Ronon's bed and checked his chart before looking up at him slightly red in the face. "Aye, well. Just in the right place at the right time, that's all." He studied him for a moment. "How are you?" At Ronon's nod and shrug, Carson perched on the foot of his bed, effectively shooing Woolsey to the other side. "Well, you should get some sleep." But Carson didn't move out of the way to let him, so Ronon kicked him through the covers. "What is it, doc"
"The creatures, do you really not remember being saved by them?"
"Nah, not much. Just that it was too cold and I couldn't see the dart or Sheppard anywhere and I started to struggle until one of them saved me."
"Remarkable creatures." Woolsey said. Carson looked over to speak to him. "Aye, they sure were. Has the I.O.A got a hold of that Stringer guy yet? One of his men that was captured…Klen, I heard he came forward with information fast enough."
Woolsey nodded. "He made quite the testimony in exchange for leniency, so I am sure Stringer will be taken into custody very soon. There seems to be some huge holes in the I.O.A that need to be investigated, including how we managed to end up with a couple of spies in our camp that came via them."
Rodney grimaced at that. "Not my fault."
"No-body said it was." Woolsey calmed him down before he started. "Once Sheppard is better he will have to go to Earth."
"What?" A chorus of voices rang out, forcing Woolsey to put up his hands. "Not for good, don't panic. This Klen; he insisted that he wouldn't say anything else unless Sheppard himself interrogated him. Seems our Colonel here has impressed the man and he won't say anything else until he speaks to him."
"Well that's going to be a several weeks then, the lad is going no-where fast, I tell you!"
Sheppard groaned slightly in his sleep and Carson was over in a flash to check his chart this time. He soon settled but Carson continued to tutt and shake his head at his patient's injuries.
"Rest up, lad." He whispered to him. "You deserve it."
"Trying!" came the whispered reply.
Everybody, including Ronon, crowded around the bed grinning as Sheppard's good eye opened a slit to allow a sliver of bright hazel to shine through.
"Hello, John." Teyla said softly, keeping hold of his hand.
"Went …swimming with dolphins…I think." He slowly said.
Everyone laughed. Ronon gripped his good shoulder and whispered down to him, mindful of his obvious headache now that he was awake. "Not quite, but near enough. Sleep."
"Yes, superhero, once again. We will tell you everything when you wake up properly, instead of this…Sheppard?"
"He's asleep, Rodney."
One by one, Sheppard's team resumed their positions and Carson went towards his office bunk for a sleep so he would still be nearer Sheppard should he need him.
Woolsey said good night and went to his office to write up his report.
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….END REPORT ….
File: SG-A 1 -20367/141
Personal Log Note – Lt. Colonel John Sheppard.
When I started down this journey as leader of Atlantis, after the I.O.A convinced me to take this position, I have to admit I had no idea the scale of what I had taken on. The numerous mission reports I had read before-hand seemed like non-fiction to me, and a deep seated curiosity to investigate if it could all be true made me take the final steps to take the position here on Atlantis; that, and to think that I was intelligent enough to think that I could change things, show them that what they were doing was wrong somehow; that surely not all these things could happen to the people of one floating city in their mission reports. Naive!
Innocently, I also hadn't really considered just how central to the survival of this great, floating city, and this fully staffed expedition was Lt. Colonel John Sheppard. I usually see the end result of his missions; see for myself the bruised and bloodied results, I should say; in either a fight against the Wraith or some other alien resident who took umbrage to our offered help or negotiations for food and medicines, and yet he was always willing to take on another mission afterwards- what tenacity!
Today, though, I saw first-hand what the man is capable of. Today, he came back from the dead and fought a fight worthy of somebody in the best of health and won; unlike his own health at the time, which I can only describe as questionable at best.
He saved us; he saved ME – I will never forget the look he gave me when he finally woke up, surrounded by his faithful team. It was one of worry, but not for himself; no, never himself – it was one of worry for Atlantis and everyone on it. I smiled and nodded towards him when he sought out my face past his friends; I think perhaps he knew only I could give him the honest answer that he was seeking; and I did; we were fine, and it was all due in part to him – again!
Supplemental: John has just paid me a visit before turning in for the night after his first day out of the Infirmary. He bares his responsibilities like before, but I am getting used to the bravado he puts on for his men and residents of Atlantis, and I can see that he still limps from the gunshot wound he received in his left leg and how his side still bothers him; his skin was a mess of torn flesh and bruises; no wonder he cringes in pain every so often when he thinks no-one notices – but we all do, although we would not dare tell him, too much respect. I also notice his wounded shoulder and arm are supported by a sling that; and I have to laugh, I reckon he takes off the minute he is out of Dr Beckett's view. Stubborn!
Tonight though, I know the most important thing of him, and it is this: – that no matter what happens to him, he can deal with it and carry on regardless. He is the most resilient person I have ever met and I wish for him nothing but the best here in his home that he loves so much. He is the most remarkable man; given to quick anger in defence of those he loves, but a gentle soul underneath that asks nothing from anybody that he would not give himself.
I look out my window that only days ago, I and others were held captured in, to witness the scruffy haired man get pounced on gently by Ronon who fusses with his hair and Rodney who, as usual, wants to show him something on his tablet that he might find of interest – and even understand!
He had told me he was looking forward to his first night back in his quarters alone so he could think about past events in peace, but I can see that isn't going to happen, as now Teyla links an arm through his good one and all together they lead him away from my view; all gathered around their friend, team mate and commander. I admit to being a little jealous!
….I thought that was the end of my writing about John Sheppard tonight, but no – as I go to close my tablet lid, he suddenly stops walking and looks back at me with a genuine smile breaking through the pain barrier, and wave's goodbye. I feel included in his friendship. He accepted my position here quite quickly and I now regret the years of distrust I had for the officer when working back on Earth. He did not deserve it.
I tentatively raise a hand back towards him and relax somewhat. Atlantis is safe for now, and I do not worry for the next time; after all – Lt. Colonel John Sheppard is here to look after us all, together with a team of the most brilliant people I have ever had the pleasure and honour to know.
… END PERSONAL LOG NOTE ON LT COLONEL JOHN SHEPPARD…
THE END