Had some extra time to edit so I tried to post two chapters...then my whole story crashed - so I had to enter everything back in. :(
The room Carson was led to was large and filled with some of the same type of items he saw in the previous room. A large four-poster bed sat against one wall, images of what looked like dragons were etched into each dark wooden post. Lucius motioned toward the bed and as Carson limped forward, that's when he noticed the figure buried under the mounds of heavy spreads.
"Colonel!"
He moved forward, pulling back the covers, frowning at what he saw.
John lay shivering, his dark hair damp across his head in stark contrast to the paleness of his sweat sheened skin; his lower face bristled with the stubble of a beard starting to grow. He was shirtless, with bandages on the side of his head, shoulder and torso; bruises were smattered all along his side, some down by his waist line half hidden by the dark silk pants he was wearing.
Carson sat on the side of the bed and took John's pulse, his frown deepening; checking under his bandages he found half-healed wounds and burns and a nasty gash near his right temple that had been stitched badly and was not healing properly.
He placed the back of his hand against John's forehead, and then quickly cleaned the wounds with the water and cloth he noticed that were placed by the bedside. Once done, he frantically searched through his bag, sighing in relief as he found the vial he needed; he injected John with a dose of the antibiotics.
"He has a fever!" Carson said, glaring at Lucius.
"And the medicine you gave him will help?"
"Aye after some time, with a few more doses…" Carson rummaged through the bag and sighed in relief, pulling out some small tubes and vials. "And with some of these other medicines that thank God weren't destroyed."
"Run…run…"
Both men turned to the bed, John's eyelids flickered, his head moving back and forth as if he was in the grip of a nightmare.
Carson leaned forward and gently shook his arm. "Colonel, can ya hear me? Colonel Sheppard?"
An agonizing pain ripped through the Scot, and he cried out whipping his head around to find Lucius' hand gripped tightly on his hurt leg.
"You will address my son by his proper name."
Carson squeezed his eyes shut, nodding; Lucius let go and stepped back.
Panting, Carson slowly opened his eyes.
"Wha...what are ya talking about, your son? He's nah your son!"
Lucius glared at him. "You were either subject to his lies and magical tales or you perpetuated them. I don't know which, but I will hear no more of it! His name is Nahkhan Daravilus. He is my son…and you, you will be his healer for the time being. I will decide what to do with you once he is mended."
He motioned to the guard who had followed them to the room; the guard stepped forward and grabbed Carson's arm dragging him away towards the door, the medical bag left open on the bed.
"You will be sent for tomorrow to tend to him. I will have our healer tend to your own wounds." said Lucius.
Carson struggling to stay off his leg looked back at Lucius who stood watching John, a strange expression on his face.
"Ronon, slow down!"
Rodney rushed to keep up as Ronon raced towards some caves on the latest planet they were on. Teyla not far behind the warrior…there was a rumor of strangers in the surrounding caves and hoping against hope the team had headed out. Maybe they'd be lucky this time...maybe...just maybe.
The team had accompanied Lorne's search party to the planet; only the third of the many planets on their list. The gate address that was last dialed had led to no sign of John or Carson, so the search had been broadened, the list longer than anyone had wished. With the daunting search ahead of them the spirits of those searching were low.
Up ahead, Ronon spun and glared back at Rodney, his chest heaving; the scientist witnessing the annoyance, rage and fear in the warrior's eyes.
Sighing deeply and slightly ashamed, Rodney nodded at him and Ronon turned and continued ahead, Rodney picking up the pace...he would not slow them down...this search was too important.
A few days later, Lucius sat quietly on the side of John's bed staring down at him. He placed his hand against John's forehead and smiled. The new healer had done well, Nahkhan's fever had gone down and his wounds were much healed. A few more days and he would be healthy again.
He cupped John's face with his large hand.
"Nahkhan…" he whispered. "Son…"
John moaned softly, his eyes moving behind closed lids.
"Son." Lucius repeated, then smiled as John's eyes slowly opened, his glazed eyes finally landing on Lucius' face.
"Wha..?" John murmured.
"You are home …finally…you are home."
"…ome?" John tried to focus on the face in front of him, but could only make out the gray hair and male voice.
"D...Dad?" he whispered.
When he felt a hand pat his cheek, he turned towards the touch.
-Two days later-
"…please Colonel...please, come on...open your eyes..."
John slowly opened his eyes and blinked; the room gradually swimming into focus along with the pain. Groaning softly he raised his hand to his head.
"…oh thank God...thank God…"
He turned towards the relieved whisper to find Carson, standing by the side of the bed he was in looking very relieved.
"C..Cars..." John rasped and coughed; his throat felt rough, his head filled with metal shards.
Carson put his finger to his lips and quickly shook his head.
"You're awake!" a voice boomed causing John to flinch.
A giant of a man walked up next to Carson and stared down at him, smiling.
"You have done well, healer!" smiled the giant hitting the Scot hard on his back.
John saw his friend wince in pain.
The man turned to John. "Well, how are you feeling?"
John mimed for some water.
"Yes of course!" the man scowled at Carson.
"Didn't you hear him? Get him some water!"
Carson flinched, then turned and disappeared from John's sight, returning a few moments later with a goblet; the man grabbed it from his hand.
"Here son, let me help." The man sat on the bed and raised John's head helping him drink.
Once done, John's head was lowered back to the pillow; he slowly licked the moisture on his lips, relishing in the coolness.
"Wha' happened?" he whispered.
He stared at Carson, whose face held a mixture of fear and relief that at the moment John couldn't understand.
Looking at the taller man, he tried to match a name to the face and found that he couldn't.
"Who r'you?"
He saw something flash over the man's face that made his stomach clench.
"Nahkhan, it's me...your father."
John struggled to make sense of what was happening.
"Nahkhan?" John questioned.
He turned to Carson. "Carson, what …"
The tall man stood up suddenly from the bed.
"I allow you to return and still yet you deny who you are?"
Confused, John tried to sit up. "Wha's goin' on?"
"I could have left you to die..." muttered the man, then grabbed Carson's arm pulling him away from the bed.
"Food will be brought to you…you need to gain your strength back; I will return soon."
John's eyes narrowed in confusion over the deer-caught-in-headlights stare his friend gave him as he was pulled from the room; that's when he noticed Carson's pronounced limp.
"Hey…" John rasped, pulling himself up, struggling with the covers as he tried to get to him.
"Wai...wait!" The covers wrapped around his legs as he tried to stand, the world suddenly tilting sideways sending John crashing to the floor the covers tangled around him. He heard the slam of the door before darkness swept over him.
-tbc-