Disclaimer - I do not own SGA or its Characters. I do own Dr. Orla Grant.
Rated T for violence & threat.
Orla sat huddled within the foil blankets; she was beginning to feel warmer; her discarded sodden clothes were piled in a heap to one side of her. Placed at the other side of her was the medical bag Laura had carried for her into the grotto. She thought about firing up the laptop Laura had placed inside the bag but her body was reluctant to leave the warmth of the blankets. She tried wriggling against the cave wall hoping ease her back pain. Finally, she settled and with a sigh she closed her eyes, letting the tiredness wash over her.
Orla's eyes flew open, she was wet. Although her trousers were still damp from the storm this was different, it felt as though she'd wet herself. She hadn't drunk anything since the team left Atlantis and she'd stopped for enough toilet breaks to know her bladder was empty. Fear prickled over her as her anxiety rose, no, no not this. Not now.
Laura was gone, she knew she couldn't make it to Jennifer herself, she was on her own. Pull yourself together woman, people have been having babies for centuries, some even alone, she thought. But this is different, the baby isn't due for another month. It's too early! A small sob escaped her before she forced herself to take control of the situation. She couldn't remember what to do, what had Carson and Jennifer taught her and Ronon? You know what to do, you're just scared, she told herself. Then again, maybe it was something else? She could be lying at a low point in the cave, maybe it was a puddle? She needed to pull herself together and think positively. It could be anything, please let it be anything but the baby!
Orla's hopes were shattered in the next moment when the first contraction hit her, Orla yelped in pain, panic and surprise. Clutching her stomach, she tried to breathe through the pain, gasping at its intensity.
"Almost there, told you we'd make it," Sheppard flashed a toothy smile at his team as the Puddle Jumper neared the water's edge.
McKay leapt for his feet, "Ronon, we need to cover the incubator against the storm and rain."
Ronon didn't need to be told twice, jumping to his feet he joined McKay at the rear of the jumper. "Got an idea," was all he said as he unlocked the bench seating and lifted the padded seats to reveal the jumper's storage units. He saw the green material and grabbed at it. "This do?"
"What is it?"
"Sheppard called it pliable tarpaulin, military use it for temporary covering" Ronon explained.
"Yeah, it just might work. We need to wrap the incubator make sure it doesn't get wet," Rodney agreed and began to help Ronon undo the ratchet straps.
Jennifer felt Lorne's pulse once more, it was weak but the foil blankets were helping to maintain his body's core temperature. She clutched at the blanket around her own shoulders. She was soaked through; the cold and damp beginning to affect her train of thought. She kept trying to repeat mentally all of Lorne's vitals, what she needed to check, she was his only hope, for now. As she moved, albeit, restricted by the stakes her feet sloshed in the ever-increasing rain trap the actual trap had become. Her feet wet through and cold inside her shoes. She tried to stomp her feet to avoid losing all sensation, causing the captured rain water to splash about soaking her already wet trousers again.
"Doc!" Laura bellowed from above, the strong wind and rain making communication almost impossible. Laura knelt in the mud; she really didn't want to lie down in it anymore. She waved her hands above her head hoping to catch Jennifer's attention.
From the corner of Jennifer's eye, she saw something flash above, looking up she was almost blinded by the rain. She ran a hand over her face trying to brush off the rain. "Laura?" she screamed. Using her hand as a visor to block the rain she squinted her eyes and made out the dark shape of her friend. She smiled, "Laura?"
"We need to get you both to safety!" Cadman yelled; this is useless she thought, what can I do?
Sheppard eased the Puddle Jumper onto the mainland shore. The waves bringing the jumper ashore further than normal. He jumped out of the pilot's seat to find the team already assembled and waiting at the rear of the jumper. "Before we head out, a few things," Sheppard turned to face Rodney, "You have the data pad and life signs detector, check the readings before we leave the jumper." He turned to face Dr Biro and said, "Doc, we need to stay together, you keep between myself and Rodney. Ronon will watch our six. Not that there's anything to worry about, it's just protocol, okay?"
Alice Biro nodded, zipped up her waterproof jacket and swallowed her nerves, this was not off-world just the mainland. No Wraith. Just a storm, like home, she began to tell herself over and over.
"Data pad is working, nothing on the life signs detector. I've tweaked it all I can but they're too far away for now," McKay declared as he fiddled with the data pad in his hand.
"Okay, give me the data pad, Rodney," Sheppard asked. Reading the devices data, he began to familiarize himself with the information on the screen. "Need to see which direction we're heading to. Not going to be able to work out where we are in accordance to the sun's trajectory so, landmarks it is. We need to head toward a large wooded area," Sheppard handed back the data pad to McKay and moved between the physicist and doctor to stand next to Ronon. He grabbed at the padded seat Ronon had found the tarpaulin inside. He searched until he found the small back pack he'd been looking for and grabbed at it throwing it over his left shoulder.
"What's in the bag?" Ronon queried as he buttoned his long leather coat, flipping its' collar up against the storm outside before he reached under the coat for his particle gun. He grabbed at the now wrapped incubator sitting on the jumper's opposite seats and lodged it under one arm.
"A few essentials we might need. let's go," Sheppard ordered as he clipped his P90 onto his TAC Vest.
Ronon brought his gun up and used it to punch at the jumper's door release. Standing back, he looked at the crew behind him and waved them out.
Laura kept trying to go over the only options she had in her head over and over. Jump into the trap, carefully, help Jennifer but who would get us all out? What if it kept raining? We could theoretically drown before help got to us. Orla couldn't get us out and she can't get to the jumper not in her condition. Get Jennifer out and risk Lorne dying? She felt like screaming. If the storm abated, I could easily tie a rope around a tree and lower myself into the trap, but it was too dangerous during the storm. Not to mention Orla would be all alone.
"What can I do?" Laura yelled at Jennifer.
Jennifer struggled against the storm to hear Laura, she heard Lorne begin to moan, oh no, don't wake up and move, she thought as she grabbed for the extra phial of Morphine from her coat and syringe from her other pocket. As quickly as she could she administered the dose to Lorne. He stilled, she released the breath she held and patted the Major on the shoulder. "I'm sorry but it's for your own good."
"What can I do?" Cadman screamed once again.
"What? We need to move Lorne, but how? I can't lift him on my own."
"I have an idea, a bad idea but it's all we got, I need to check on Orla first," the Lieutenant bellowed before she moved away from the trap and headed in the direction of the grotto.
Orla tensed as the second contraction began, she tried to sit upright, to move, anything to reduce the pain. Nothing worked. Through gritted teeth she tried to reach her boots, she needed to remove her trousers. Who was she kidding, she hadn't been able to reach her feet in weeks. She clutched at foil blankets, she'd need those for her and the baby. As the contraction eased, she tugged at the waist band of her trousers trying to lower them, grabbing her panties at the same time she yanked at them. Great now I'm lying here having a baby and I'm not going to be able to even reach it when its' born. She glanced at the sodden pile beside her. Not ideal but better than the cave floor. If she could pick the child up as soon as it was born, it shouldn't get too cold.
The team began their trek towards the wooded area Lorne had landed the jumper. They walked with their heads bowed against the force of the wind. Using their hands as shields against the rain.
Sheppard stopped and turned trying to get Rodney's attention, as he did, he saw Dr Biro about to be topple over against the force of the wind. Grabbing at the doctor's upper arms he steadied her and waited for her to acknowledge she was okay. He looked across at Rodney shouting, "Anything McKay?"
"What?" McKay couldn't hear what Sheppard was asking, he had a pretty good idea and handed the data pad over to him.
Sheppard tried to read the data pad but the light was failing due to the storm. He confirmed they were still on course and turned back to face the storm, head down he moved on, glancing back to ensure the group was following.
Laura finally reached the small grotto. She was drenched and covered in mud, she felt as though she could sleep for a week. As she entered the cave, she spotted Orla lying on the cave floor with her trousers down, gritting her teeth. She heard the small scientist begin to moan, expelling long groans as she twisted on the cave floor.
"Crap!" Laura ran to Orla's side and kneeled down. "Didn't I say, no babies?"
Orla turned to face Laura, not finding the humor in the comment, she glared. "I'll just cross my legs then!"
Laura winced, okay, not a time for humor. "How long between the contractions?"
Orla groaned as the contraction finally eased, shaking her head she replied, "I don't know, it's too early, the baby can't come now," she panted.
"Hey, it's probably a Satedan thing, you know, Ronon's not the most patient person. Baby's probably decided it's grown enough and wants out," Laura gently teased.
"Their pregnancies are the same as ours, it's too early."
"Should I take a look?" Cadman asked warily.
"Do you know what you're looking for?"
"A baby?" Cadman winced at her own words. "Look, if I take a look, I can go tell Jennifer and she can tell me what to do, okay? Right, let's get these boots off for a start."
Orla nodded as she wiped away her tears trying to not let anxiety take hold.
"Jennifer," Laura yelled over the edge of the trap which was threatening to soften at the edges and crumble below.
Jennifer was adjusting the foil blankets around Lorne, she was beginning to worry, the constant rain pooling in the trap was above her well above her ankles now. But it was the edges of the trap that were her concern. The mud was softening, it wouldn't take much for the hold Lorne's leg had to loosen then…
"Jennifer!"
Keller looked up, seeing Laura she tried to move closer to the side she was at to hear better.
"Orla's in labor, I think."
"Labor? It's too early, it's probably Braxton Hicks. Wait Is she dilated? If so, how much?"
"Yeah, she is, urgh, she's a little bigger than…," Laura tried to think of a reasonable comparison. "Little bigger than an Oreo cookie?"
"Shit,"
"What?" Cadman couldn't hear the woman's response.
"Sounds like she's in active labor. She's a little early but the baby if healthy it will be viable," Jennifer shouted. She tried to think, the cold and wet wearing her down. "Try to get her to not push until she is near 10cm, the size of a bagel. It'll be easier."
"Size of bagel, geez," Laura winced.
"There's a small gas bottle in the bag I bought, but you can't just let her have it. Got to be small breaths, she has a long labor ahead. Go be with her, don't leave her alone."
"What about you? I was going to try to tie the rope to a tree, get down to you and help get Lorne out." Cadman cried.
"Lorne wouldn't want you to leave Orla. We can't get him out of here until help arrives. I have medication to keep Lorne sedated, go!"
Laura understood Jennifer's dilemma, their dilemma. She backed away from the trap and stood before running back towards the small cave.
Sheppard and the team finally made it to the location of Puddle Jumper 1. He activated the rear door hatch and they all bundled inside, sheltering from the growing storm.
"Alright, people. Take ten, eat something, get a drink, whatever. It's another fifteen minutes maybe longer in this storm to the site. Ronon, I know you want to keep going but some of us need to rest." Sheppard tilted his head towards Rodney and Alice.
Ronon placed the incubator on the rear compartment seats, as he stood at the exit to the Puddle Jumper, he shook off the excess rain trying to regain his patience.
Sheppard came to stand beside the large warrior. "Take it easy buddy, everything is okay."
"You don't know that."
"No, I don't, but why shouldn't it be?"
Ronon understood what Sheppard was trying to help but until he saw Orla for himself the growing unease pooling in his gut wasn't going to go away.
"Power bar?" Rodney offered as he came to join Sheppard and Ronon.
"No thanks, McKay. It's going to be a while before we can head back to Atlantis. Might need to keep some of those for later."
TBC ...