Breaking the Ring

A/N….This is just a wee challenge I set myself to write a story of 5000 words or less as I usually can't write anything less than 10,000 plus! I almost succeeded – just a hundred or so over! Enjoy….

SGA SGA SGA

It had started with an itch.

It wasn't even a particularly annoying one at first; just there in the background, enough to cause him to poke a determined finger at the area on his neck occasionally, and then sigh with contentment when a slight flick of his finger relieved the symptom - and that was the way of it for a few hours; but then growing in intensity until it became a constant disturbance that then had Sheppard clawing at the skin under his turtle neck pullover to pull it away from the touch of his flesh which suddenly felt like it was on fire and hundreds of ants were biting him with a frenzy to get to his insides first.

"Would you stop doing that! What's wrong with you?" Rodney asked in annoyance, and then with a thought…"You are not contagious are you?"

Sheppard spun to glare at him and Rodney took a step towards him when he was met with a red faced Sheppard almost panting with pain at whatever he was feeling on his neck.

"Here, let me see?"

Sheppard cocked his head to the side and pointed to the left side of his neck, holding down his pullover.

"There. There is something there…it's driving me mad."

Rodney pulled his shoulder down towards him a fraction to accommodate his height and prised his hand away so he could look for himself.

As soon as he reached for the neck of the pullover and started pulling it down, he felt heat radiating from Sheppard. "You are very hot, even in this cold weather…no wonder it feels itchy, whoa…"

Rodney stepped back and Sheppard straightened. "What?"

"You…my goodness that must hurt?"

"What is it?" Sheppard thundered, ignoring his comment.

By now Teyla and Ronon had stopped walking and had backed up to see what the other two were bickering about.

"Teyla, what is that?!" Rodney said, stepping from side to side, unable to settle, his eyes darting to Sheppard's in a non-placating way.

"Rodney…Teyla, somebody answer me!" Sheppard recoiled from Teyla's touch and threw down his arms in exasperation.

"I…I do not know John. It does not look like anything I have ever come across before. Does it hurt?" Teyla asked him full of concern and copying Rodney's question.

"Yes, it bloody well hurts, why do you think I have been clawing at it?"

"It hurts?" Ronon's eyebrows raised and bodily held Sheppard still, pushing his head back until he could see for himself what all the fuss was about.

There on show for all to see; and for Sheppard to feel, was what looked like a living bruise that swirled in very slow motion under a gelatinous dome, alternating purple and blue and then slid into greens and yellows. Ronon looked to Sheppard to watch his reaction and then tentatively poked it. Sheppard grimaced and stood back, pulling himself out of his grip.

"What of 'it hurts' did you not get, Chewie?"

"I hardly touched it. When? I mean…where…?"

Sheppard grimaced when he noticed that even Ronon wanted answers.

"Would somebody please just tell me wha'…"

"John, please…come and sit down here for a moment and relax and we will tell you."

Sheppard drew in a long breath and made for his neck, before remembering how much it now hurt to touch it and sat down on downed tree trunk to await the deliberations from his team mates. Arms crossed he absentmindedly tapped his foot and stared at each in turn.

"Rodney?" He growled when nobody was willing to start.

Rodney shifted and then approached him. "Okay, I'll start by saying there are no iratus bugs or anything similar to that on your neck…"

"Oh good!"

"…but there is something weird, as in something I can't define as being, well – how shall I say…"

"Oh my goodness." Ronon roared with his hands up. "Sheppard, you have what looks like a small oval piece of Jelly-O on your neck that is moving within its confines and alternating between a purple colour and green and yellow and has made the surrounding area slightly flushed and you are radiating a fever of some sort, probably because of it. Do you feel ill?"

Sheppard had his eyes wide open at the results and then he frowned trying to take it all in. His thumbs smoothed over his fingers as if feeling the texture of the mark on his neck and then he stood.

"It's just damned itchy as hell, and I feel a bit hot but we have been walking for hours."

"So have we and we are not as hot as you."

"Rodney!" Teyla chastised.

"Do you know what it is Teyla?" Sheppard pushed yet again.

"John, I wish I had an answer for you, but I have never seen anything like it before. May I?"

Sheppard nodded as she once again bent over him to look at his neck, with Ronon holding down his pullover so she could get a good look. He felt calmer now, the intense burning itch having subsided somewhat since the last onslaught, and allowed her cool fingers to slightly touch the colourful mark, gauging further examination by how he reacted.

She drew back at last and smiled up at him as she laid the back of her hand on his forehead whilst nodding at Ronon to let go of Sheppard's clothes.

"It is as we say John, something very unusual. It has a jelly consistency; colourful, moving and totally attached to your neck in a long oval shape. The edges are rough and bordering it is a slightly pink inflamed area." She smiled to soften her observations, but her eyes could not hide how worried she was. "You seem to have the start of a fever, perhaps we should find shelter for the night so you can rest."

Sheppard shook his head. "No, we should keep going whilst it is light. The 'gate is still perhaps two days walk as it is."

"If we are where we think we are." Rodney interjected.

Silence overcame Sheppard whilst he mulled the choices over and wondered yet again how he had managed to pick up something that was causing him this much pain.

SGA SGA SGA

They had arrived on MX2 1PP after a successful scouting trip from SGA3, which had deemed it a possible new alpha or beta site. Foregoing a 'jumper, Sheppard and his team had walked a good distance when they first arrived and liked what they saw; if they were not a little cold. The second morning had turned wintery to say the least and Rodney reported there was a probability of a snow storm arriving any day.

Then they had been attacked and shoved into an old-fashioned enclosed cart and with their eyes, mouths and wrists bound frighteningly quick, they had no choice but to sit in silence and wonder who these people were? Why had they kidnaped them? And where had they been dumped?

It was the silence that told Sheppard they were finally alone after they had been herded out of the cart and left standing again, elbows jostling against each other. The only sound they heard other than their own heart beats after that, was the squeaking of the wagons wheels at it moved away.

Sheppard nudged the side of his face on what he thought was Rodney's arm beside him until the covering came away from his eyes and after spinning round to see they were on their own, he nudged against Ronon's hands with his until the big man had his ropes untied and he was free. Quickly releasing his team mates, Sheppard put his hands on his hips and whistled low and slow.

"Some-one care to explain what has just happened?" He said rhetorically, throwing his gag on the ground, but Rodney surprised him with an answer.

"Get out of town!"

Sheppard chuckled at that. "I got that impression as well."

"How come SGA3 never got that welcoming committee?"

"Because they flew over the country and catalogued it from the air and said there were little settlements near the 'gate, and besides they never did land to speak to anyone."

"We didn't speak to anyone and look what happened to us!"

"Yeah..." Ronon piped in, "…why did they not drop us at the 'gate again if they wanted rid of us?"

"Good point, Chewie?"

"Where are we then?" Ronon continued.

The 'bad guys' had taken their P90s, hand guns and side knives (except for some of Ronon's hidden knives) but had left them their vests minus the LSD, which was missing; perhaps they had thought it to be a weapon also.

Sheppard had looked at the reports of the planet before coming of course, so he roughly understood that they had been dumped in what looked like the higher mountains, which were rocky and entering into winter, giving them quite a walk back to the 'gate.

It hadn't felt that long a journey but these people had been suspiciously quite the whole time, so Sheppard had not ruled them being knocked out by some sort of gas to cover the passage of time.

After explaining where he thought they were, Sheppard led them onto a well-worn path that seemed to skirt around the highest peaks.

"I wonder why they didn't speak to us." Rodney voiced what they were all thinking. "They didn't even ask us any questions."

"Dunno, but I tell you this. That's a new alpha or beta site out of the window." Sheppard said.

"Yeah, not very hospitable."

They hadn't walked long when Teyla, who had been walking ahead with Ronon, came running back, pointing back to where she had just come from.

"Wait to you see this." She said excitedly.

Sheppard moved up beside her and went into a slight jog, followed by a weary Rodney, and smiled when he turned the corner.

There in front of him was the most beautiful view. A sharp grey mountain of rock and green foliage was the backdrop to a full height strong waterfall that crashed into a shimmering pool below that was the size of an Olympic swimming pool. Several types of plants and trees surrounded it and it was in stark contrast to the dull and barren mountains that surrounded it. A mountainous oasis.

"I have a testing kit." Sheppard pronounced as he dipped a hand into his vest. "If it's good and clean we will fill our canteens."

Deciding to stay there the night as it was well protected from the elements and a good source of water, Sheppard's team had left early after breakfast to start another day in their long walk back to the 'gate.

SGA SGA SGA

"It must have been back at the waterfall, something must have bit me?" Sheppard surmised.

A grimace here and a nod there of sympathy and Sheppard didn't voice his guesses anymore. What difference would it make anyway; something, somewhere had bit him good and he was suffering for it. What was it with him and 'bugs' anyway?

"How are you feeling now?"

"Teyla, you asked me that just ten minutes ago."

"And you didn't answer me then." She pointed out.

"No? Oh sorry, I'm thinking."

"You are also starting to scratch again, you must leave it alone."

Sheppard watched her lips move but his ears were filled with the roar of a fever headache that was spiking to momumental levels all of a sudden and he put his hand to his head and tried to put his other to the side of his neck, which was sending out painful beats, but Ronon was faster and grabbed onto it and his shoulder.

"John, remain strong."

For the past few hours, the bruise had got bigger, and well into the night and early the next morning it had grown until it had spiralled almost around his whole neck. Sleep for them all had not been possible as they cared for their leader. The pain, on occasion had been too much and he had fallen to the ground, desperately clutching at his neck and trying to claw the skin off in chunks.

What was happening to him was a complete mystery and it upset Teyla that she had no idea exactly how she could help him further when the pain of it moving slowly around his neck had him arching his back off the ground in agony. His fever spiked and they looked on worried as he got weaker before their eyes.

"Teyla...aaarrghhh!"

"Shh John."

"No, I...where..."

"Shh, save your breath... please, John."

Teyla put her hand up to his forehead and wiped away the hair that was now soaked with sweat as he went through another bout of poison.

Teyla felt the heat radiate off him and then Ronon's hand was on her shoulder supporting her at a time when she needed it, and when she turned to smile her thanks at him, she couldn't help but think that perhaps it was his way of receiving it also.

Rodney shifted behind Sheppard where he held him upright and comfortable from the hard ground and Sheppard moaned slightly.

"Sorry, sorry...it's just my leg was getting cramp." And he was sorry that he had jolted him knowing the pain the slightest movement was causing.

These episodes Sheppard was going through were taking longer each time to stop and Rodney wondered what they meant for the sick man.

He sought out the eyes in front of him to try and see what deterioration they were looking at that he could not

"Teyla?" he asked, now seeing the desperate look on her face.

Teyla had to drag herself away from Sheppard to look at Rodney's desperate appeal.

"He's ...sorry Rodney, he looks worse than last time. The ring has grown and it just leaves the very front of his neck uncovered, but...it is has almost completely ringed his neck now, I fear for him." Teyla held his slick wrist. "His pulse is not good, nor is his breathing."

Sheppard continued to moan out loud with his eyes screwed shut, his body lax and heavy leaning into Rodney's chest.

After what seemed like an age, he finally stilled and his eyes peeked out glassy and unfocused from slightly open lids. The fever burned strongly and he was sweating out more liquids than they could get him to replenish. The last few times he had drunk water, he had gagged it back up again within minutes.

Now, too weak to hold his head up from the last attack, he allowed Ronon to hold him up and support him until Rodney could slide out from under him and then together they placed him on his side in the recovery position in case he was sick again.

Teyla laid a hand on his hip as she reached over him to wipe his brow with a cloth that had not enough water on it to cool him down any. The snow had not yet appeared, even though it was freezing cold. It would be much needed water for them all, not just Sheppard, so for once Rodney kept a look out excitedly for the white stuff.

The fire Ronon had kept glowing in the dark, was kept at a distance so as not to overheat Sheppard, so they took turns holding out their hands to the heat to warm themselves up.

Not for the first time, Teyla smoothed down the pocket in her vest that she knew contained ampules of morphine and longed to give Sheppard some. Ronon watched the motion and gently shook his head.

"I know." Teyla sighed. "It could really make things worse for him, but I would love him to get some relief Ronon."

"Is he sleeping?"

Teyla bent over his body to look at his face to find him just lifelessly looking off into the distance.

"John?" Teyla whispered.

He did not move or acknowledge she was there and Teyla bit her lip.

She moved back to be at Ronon's side as he sat down to take a drink.

"He is just staring into space. That last attack really took it out of him."

"He can't take much more of this."

Nobody answered Ronon because they all knew the truth for themselves. The ring of the strange moving bruise had moved fast to encircle his neck, and each time it grew it left Sheppard crying out in pain and gasping for breath.

Sheppard suddenly jerked.

"He's going to be sick again!" Rodney cried from the other side of his convulsing body.

Ronon was on his feet fast and lifted Sheppard up in his arms to take him to another area outside of the shelter they were spending the night and held him up as he threw up the small amount of food they had managed to get him to swallow followed by some dry heaving that had Ronon place his forehead on Sheppard's back in sympathy.

Eventually, Sheppard stilled and grabbed onto Ronon's arm around his chest with a weak grip before patting it.

"I'm finished." He rasped.

"Can you walk?" Ronon gave him a hopeful choice.

Sheppard laughed slightly. "Debateable!"

Ronon knew that was a good thing his friend could still zest, but when he went to take his arm to help him, the moonlight lit up the bruise against his pale but flushed and sweaty skin and he grimaced. It had moved to an area that just left the width of his Adam's apple free to move onto, and he was frightened for what that could mean when it had completed its course.

As the two slowly made their way over to their camp, Teyla shuffled her backside until her back was leaning against rock and put her legs out straight and held her arms up for Sheppard as she automatically did for Torren. This time, though, it was for Sheppard and it was the least she could do for him. Sheppard protested at the offer as he drew nearer but eventually acquiesced as he did not have the strength to fight his friends any longer. Ronon lowered his body so that his head landed on Teyla's lap and his backside and legs were on Ronon's long leather coat, protecting him from the freezing cold stone. He curled his fingers, trying so hard not to scratch his neck and eventually shifted until he was comfortable, but flinched every time his neck made contact with anything so lowered his head further down her thigh until his neck was as free as it could be from any contact. Teyla gently mopped back his sweat soaked hair and he relaxed into the strokes until he let himself go and fell into a deep sleep at last.

Rodney noticed his eye lids close.

"Look how the bruise shimmers in the moonlight."

Ronon had been pacing back and forwards but at Rodney's remark he leaned over and watched fascinated, at the constant display of colours moving their way around his friend's neck. Even at night it was in constant motion. He couldn't imagine what Sheppard was going through.

They had poked and prodded it, and even trying picking it off, all causing Sheppard to shake and jerk away from the touch; but Sheppard being Sheppard, he had let them try, even asking Ronon to slip his knife into it; but no blade, no matter how sharp, could not enter the gelatinous material and all it did was leaving Sheppard sweating that had nothing to do with the fever that ravaged him.

Teyla soaked the piece of cloth she had kept from being gagged, and slowly wiped his face with it.

Ronon and Rodney took turns being on watch and allowed Teyla to sleep when Sheppard slept so she could continue to tend to him.

It was Rodney's turn when dawn was just breaking when he felt the first snow flake land on his nose.

"Great. Typical!" He said to no-one in particular.

"What is it Rodney?" Teyla asked quietly so as not to disturb the still sleeping Sheppard.

Rodney held out both hands and turned to look at her. "It's snowing!"

Teyla dipped her head and breathed in sharply. Her backside was numb but she refused to move in case she jostled the sleeping man.

Rodney moved closer to her to look down at Sheppard.

"He hasn't moved for a while." He stated.

"No, but his is very hot, my leg feels like it is on fire. Where is Ronon?"

"We should move him to let you up when he gets back, he is hunting for something for our breakfast."

Ronon chose that moment to arrive, some dead creature hung from his large hand with a bloody knife to skin it.

"It started snowing so I thought I should return. This creature has enough meat on it for the four of us – if Sheppard can eat anything."

Ronon threw the creature onto a rock and wiped his hands on the wet leaves before crouching down beside his friend.

"He's so flushed and clammy."

"Ronon, he has not woken up for at least a couple of hours now."

Ronon caught her worried expression and realised what she was trying to tell him and fell to his knees, carefully lifting up Sheppard's head to have a closer look at the ring, only to look up at Teyla with startled eyes.

"It's all the way now…and it's opaque and not moving."

"Let me see!" Rodney fell down beside him. "What could this mean?"

"I need to move." Teyla said at last and Ronon held Sheppard up to allow her to shimmy out of the way.

Rodney swiftly placed his rolled up jacket on the ground for Ronon to place Sheppard's head on and they all stepped back to look at the now quiet and still figure. Sheppard still had a fever, his skin burning and sweat soaked his clothes, but the ring remained motionless, mirroring his own still body.

Teyla pressed her fingers into his pulse point and shook her head up at Ronon. "We need to get him home. I believe he is not sleeping, but unconscious." She shook him gently and then a bit rougher when he never moved, but she already knew the answer.

To add to their apprehension, the snow that had been slightly dancing in the air was now in full blizzard mode. They were only slightly sheltered under the overhanging rocks, so they were soon being covered in the white stuff.

"I'll see if I can find better shelter, it is all we can do just now, we can't walk in that."

Ronon stood up and cocked his head to the side.

"Ronon?" Teyla asked.

"I hear…" His face broke into a wide grin.

Rodney stood up now to see where he was pointing and could have hugged the big lug with relief.

Coming down to land near them was their rescue 'jumper. That was fine, great actually; he just hoped Carson was on board.

His wish was met with reality as out ran Carson, bag in hand and a determined look on his face. Lorne was there too, a step ahead. "Sorry, it took a time to find you, this storm messed with our readings."

Carson arrived and fell to his knees beside Sheppard. "Tell me, how is the Colonel?"

Rodney started a panicked discourse, but Carson wanted exact details so he tapped Teyla's knee and she filled Lorne and him in with what they knew.

Whilst he listened, Carson had set to work on taking his patients vitals.

"We came as quick as we could once we knew Colonel Sheppard was in trouble."

Rodney interrupted. "Wait, you knew!"

"Aye, lad. He didn't pick the creature up here but back on TDB 63. They frantically contacted us to say that they believed Colonel Sheppard may have been infected with a Soccacal when he was in their science lab waiting on Rodney." He said as he worked getting an oxygen mask over Sheppard's head.

"Major Lorne, take over the story would you, I'm a little busy here."

"I was outside waiting on him!" Rodney shrieked.

"So you would not have been infected, don't panic doc!" Lorne grimaced when he noticed Sheppard being put on his back so Carson could listen to his chest and heart. "It's a small gelatinous, land living creature that attaches itself to its victims around their necks, growing bigger as it slowly drinks their blood. Just before their host dies, it releases itself to the ground to wait on its next victim. In this one's case, it had fallen out of its tank somehow back in the lab and Sheppard must have been in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"I was told it would be different colours and moving, this looks opaque." Carson said, preparing a device to place on it. "Our friends told us that this should stun it into falling off."

Everyone held their breaths as Carson prepared to activate it, but as he brushed the creature's body it suddenly peeled away from Sheppard's neck and fell to the ground.

Everyone fell back in reaction but Lorne was straight there and shot it once with a single shot. Ronon grabbed it and put it quickly in a container that Carson was opening up to contain it.

"Sheppard!" Rodney screamed with sudden realisation of Carson's words.

"He's alive. I don't know how but he is, although weak. I doubt the creature fell off prematurely. Let's get him home, he needs some I.V. antibiotics and plenty of fluids with a good dose of pain killers on the side." Carson was calm for his friends but he was secretly worried so did not want to dally, especially with the storm raging behind them. One more look at Sheppard's bruised throat and neck and he grimaced. He was going to be sore there for a long time.

In no time at all, Sheppard was loaded onto a portable stretcher and Ronon and Lorne quickly carried him into the 'jumper and placed him carefully on one of the benches where he got to work hooking him up to the I.V. and injecting what he needed to keep the man alive.

Lorne took the pilots seat. "Home in no time." He called over his shoulder.

Ronon, Teyla and Rodney took the other bench and watched as Carson tended to their friend. They were tired, cold and hungry but refused everything Carson pointed to; they just wanted home to Atlantis and would wait until Sheppard was on the road to recovery until they saw to their own needs.

SGA SGA SGA

"He should be waking up soon."

Carson said the magic words they were all waiting to hear. The machines around Sheppard's bed had played a different tune the last hour and the lack of beeps and whistles was telling. One Lt. Colonel John Sheppard was almost regaining consciousness after four days of silence.

In true Sheppard fashion though he took his time about it, not willing to relinquish the soft and warm place he was in and another two hours dragged by until Teyla noticed the flicker of eye lids and gripped Carson's hand who had nodded off in the chair beside her. He stood up and placed a calming hand on Sheppard's shoulder, helping to bring him out of his deep sleep.

"John. You are fine, okay. Your team is here."

Ronon and Rodney rose from their seats and came around to Sheppard line of sight, joining Carson and Teyla. It was a bit crowded at that side and Carson threw them all looks. "He'll see you all soon enough." He said, but smiled.

Teyla, still sitting, grabbed his hand to help ground him and stroked his knuckles.

He moved his head slightly so he could see her and attempted a smile.

"You are going to feel very weak for a while yet son..." He watched him wet his lips and reached for the proverbial cup of ice chips. "…and don't even think of speaking for a while yet, that beastie did a number on your larynx."

Sheppard swallowed and knew then what the doctor was saying. It was painful and he must have screwed up his face because Carson injected something into his I.V.

"I'll not see you suffer for long lad; just wanted to see you wake up." With that Sheppard felt himself go back to the nice, comfy place he had just left.

SGA SGA SGA

"Feeling better?"

Sheppard smiled at the sight of his team walking towards him.

"You…have no..." he swallowed and grimaced, "…idea!"

"Still looks painful to talk." Ronon pointed out.

This time Sheppard nodded. "I'll get there." He said in once sentence to prove his point.

"So, we got our weapons back."

Sheppard raised an eyebrow and started to speak again but suddenly put his hand to his throat where the bruise was still nasty looking but fading.

"Rodney, don't encourage him to speak!"

"Sorry, sorry, but I knew he'd like to hear that."

Sheppard nodded and wafted his hand wanting more of the story.

"Lorne and I went back to the planet." Ronon recounted. "All we can muster is that they must have known what the creature was around your neck didn't want it anywhere near them, and placed you…and us ….as far away from them as they could. I guess they didn't want infected with it."

"Anyhow…" Rodney grew impatient. "The weapons were discovered wrapped up in cloth at the base of the 'gate and of them, there has been no more sign of."

Lorne now joined the party. "…and we are not even bothering to go back to see! You okay Sir?"

Sheppard nodded and put both thumbs up before he pointed to himself.

Teyla knew what he was asking. "We don't know why it fell off you, it's still being tested; but the lab thinks its maybe your gene again – your blood was too rich for it perhaps!" She said teasingly.

Idle talk continued for a short time until they all realised Sheppard's head was sinking further into his pillow. Time to leave.

"Can I stay with you while you fall asleep?" Teyla asked, sitting down anyway.

Sheppard took another drink and grimaced at the pain.

"Sure." His voice grated and closed his mouth.

"You know I could grow to like this quieter version of you Sheppard." Rodney said, but he never heard him as he was asleep again within minutes.

Rodney ran after Carson to quiz him on something or other and Teyla watched as Ronon sat down at the other side of Sheppard's bed, smiling mischievously.

"What is it?" Teyla asked quietly.

"Just wondering where to find one of these creatures to shut Rodney up?" He said, his eyes sparkling.

"Me too!" Sheppard croaked.

THE END…

I hope you liked it?