A/N:
As promised, and by special request by one D. and one D.P., here comes the next bit. For your very kind reviews I reward you with my special, fluffy chocolate chip cake.
And since life is about learning, I have come to understand that I'll never again post any WIPs. For as much as I like to update more regularly, there are too many unexpected intermissions to guarantee a swift update rate.
A million hugs to TCB 0.5 for betaing my story.

Now fasten your seatbelts, folks; it's gonna be a tough ride!

VII

"What's this butcher doing with him in there?" Rodney inquired impatiently. "I mean he's prodding Carson for over half an hour now."

John didn't even bother to reply anymore. They hadn't been expelled from Beckett's bedside for more than two minutes before the scientist had begun his constant complaints about how much longer it would take.

"Does the guy need another medical degree? He didn't even let me finish my story; how rude is that?!" he ranted on.

"Rodney, your story was teeth-gritting and magnificently told but I think Carson can deal with the suspense…", Sheppard remarked dryly.

"Ha ha, very funny, Colonel", McKay quipped. "But he certainly must come out of there some time."

"I'm sure he will. Any minute now."

The words had hardly left Sheppard's mouth when the curtain was drawn back enough to let the chubby doctor through.

"Fine, gentlemen, please yourselves. But Dr Beckett has just fallen asleep, so let him rest for a while." Dr Jollet's voice seemed to have softened a bit. Nothing was left of the offensive manner he had sported before.

"Is everything alright with him?" John was worried.

"For the moment." With heavy steps he walked on without casting another glance at the two men.

"Talkative fellow", the physicist offered.

"Yeah." Sheppard replied and turned on his heels, boots squealing on the ground, then headed towards the curtain.

xXxXx

Carson slept for hours but John and Rodney never left his side. When Ronon showed up to take his turn at the bedside, McKay and Sheppard reluctantly rose to fetch some food. Only then did the two of them realize they hadn't had anything since their early breakfast.

"I'll keep an eye on him", the Satedan whispered as not to disturb the sleeping man.

"We'll be back soon." With his fist Sheppard gave Ronon a light pat on the shoulder.

Knowing Ronon kept guard and would immediately inform them if anything should happen, John and Rodney took their time having an extensive dinner in the mess hall. After all, it would be a long night. Before they returned to Beckett, McKay checked in on Radek while Sheppard went to see Elizabeth.

Upon their arrival at the infirmary about an hour later, Teyla had joined Ronon at Carson's side, and they had a lively conversation. Well, Teyla did most of the talking, and Ronon seemed to add a few things every once in a while. When the young woman spotted the two men, she got up from her seat but Sheppard gestured she needn't hurry. McKay didn't look all too happy about this unnecessary delay but strolled after his friend to the waiting area.

A couple of minutes later the Satedan approached them, his features softer than usual. "Beckett woke up several minutes before you came back", he explained. "The nurse says everything's okay but he doesn't look good."

John was surprised at Ronon's comment. He knew the Satedan had a soft spot for the gentle doctor with the weird accent ever since Beckett had relieved him from the Wraith tracking device, but he had never shown his concern for any of them so openly. The colonel nodded and made his way over to where their friend waited for them.

As Rodney and he entered, Carson stared expectantly in their direction. Although he had slept for hours, the physician looked worn out and exhausted.

"It's okay, doc", Sheppard soothed, "just get some shut-eye. When you wake up and feel better, we'll be right here."

The fact that their friend didn't even evoke the impression of trying to resist before he let his eyes droop, was most unsettling. His unfinished tale long-forgotten, Rodney picked up the cloth with a sigh, put it in the water basin and laid it back on Carson's forehead, then sat down on the chair beside John.

Eventually, with the beginning of the nightshift, the lights were dimmed and a peaceful quiet claimed the corridors of the infirmary. When the curtain was partially drawn back, Rodney and John broke out of their absentminded state. Dr Gitano gave them his best grandfatherly smile. It was heart-warming to see that his superior had such good friends. He deserved it; and he needed them now of all times. The Columbian doctor checked on the monitors, injected something into the IV port, scribbled a few notes into Beckett's chart, then cast the two men an intent glare and bade them follow him. McKay's heart sank and he could sense the colonel's nervousness as they went after the doctor.

"I am a bit worried", the physician began. "Dr Beckett's fever is very high still, even increasing slight, alsough we have administered somesing to let his temperature sink. It seem to have only little effect. It is not life-sreatening so far but we must keep a eye on sis."

The elderly Columbian left without another word, oblivious of the two men's baffled faces.

xXxXx

Rodney woke with a start as something hit the back of his head. He realized he had fallen asleep, his forehead resting on his crossed arms on the edge of Carson's bed. Irritated, he glared over at Sheppard, not knowing why the colonel had slapped him. His confusion grew further when he perceived John softly snoring on the seat beside him. The colonel's feet, stripped of the boots, were placed casually on the night stand. McKay shook his head in disbelief at the sight when another unexpected punch met his head. He turned, fuming. Seeing who had smacked him, his angry grimace fell at once and all blood left his face. Carson's features were contorted with pain and terror while his arms were lashing out at invisible enemies.

"Sheppard!" McKay more squeaked than shouted. He was on the verge of panic.

The colonel jumped to his feet, fully alert. It took him less than two seconds to grasp the seriousness of the situation.

"I'll get the doctor! Try to calm him down", John yelled on his way out.

Rodney was at a total loss what to do. How was he supposed to calm Beckett down? Suddenly Carson grabbed at the breathing tube. Fortunately it had been taped firmly to the Scot's face, therefore his desperate attempt at ridding himself of the tube remained unsuccessful. The physicist reacted without hesitation. Disregarding his friend's wounds, he seized Beckett's arms and held them down in a steady clasp. He felt the heat of fever radiating even through the bandages. Carson was burning up. Taken aback by the surprising restraints he could not escape, Beckett began thrashing fiercely. McKay knew he should be talking to pacify Carson, but he was unable to produce a sound around the lump in his throat.

It took only seconds for Sheppard to arrive with Dr Cole and three nurses; still, to Rodney it seemed like an eternity. Quickly assessing the monitors, Dr Cole cursed while the nurses immediately took over. McKay stepped back, making room for the medical personnel. Yet, neither the scientist nor the colonel could bring himself to leaving the curtained area as they watched helplessly how the nurses whispered soothingly while holding their friend's flailing arms still, giving the young physician the opportunity to administer several syringes with drugs. The grotesque fight continued for another half a minute, then Carson's movements gradually slowed down and at last ceased altogether. He blinked a few times and his eyes lost its focus but they stayed open.

"He… he tried to pull… pull out the… the… tube", Rodney stammered still shaken from the scene he had witnessed. "I had to hold him down…"

"Shit", Cole muttered under her breath. She adjusted her stethoscope and carefully listened to the sound of her patient's lungs. "Everything seems to be fine but get me the mobile x-ray, just to be sure", she said to no one in particular. Becoming aware of the fact that Rodney and John were still there, she faced the two men, her expression stern and discouraging.

"Please radio the others. I need to talk to all of you."

As Dr Cole left, she was surprised to find Elizabeth, Teyla and Ronon standing right behind the curtain, deepest concern engraved in their features.

"Oh", she exclaimed, momentarily stunned.

"I heard Dr McKay shout the Colonel's name", Teyla said apologetically. "I informed Dr Weir and Ronon that something was wrong. I hope that is alright with you, Dr Cole."

"Since you're already here, we can talk right away."

The small group assembled around the physician just outside the curtain, afraid of what they might hear. When the doctor hesitated and looked down to the polished infirmary floor, they realized it was serious, more serious than they wanted to know.

"What happened in there a minute ago?" Sheppard started.

"Dr Beckett's fever has climbed to 105.2 degrees. He was hallucinating. Obviously he was fighting against something and in the process tried to pull the ventilator tube out of his throat. I gave him some tranquilizers and painkillers to calm him down." She fell silent for a moment and looked at the floor again, unable to hold anyone's questioning gaze.

When she lifted her brown eyes, they were filled with regret. "This incident was rather harmless and as far as I can see there has been no damage, but I think you will understand that something like this must not happen again." The implications of this statement slowly sank in.

"Dr Beckett's condition has worsened dramatically. He is burning up with fever and his temperature is not going down, not even with medication. Some of his burns are acutely infected, and the sepsis won't react to the usual cocktail of antibiotics. Due to his state, Dr Beckett is asleep most of the time, and even when he's awake, he is hallucinating and hardly lucid." Teyla and Elizabeth had paled, Rodney's colour matched that of the bed sheets, only Ronon and Sheppard stood their ground.

Dr Cole swallowed before she softly continued. "Dr Beckett needs rest above all else now. As soon as the x-ray comes back clear… I will put him into a medically induced coma. Maybe he'll get better then." The last sentence was almost choked as Samantha fought with her own emotions.

In his bed, Carson glared at the ceiling without focus. He felt miserable, incredibly hot and the weight of a ton of bricks seemed to rest on his body, making it almost impossible for him to move. Visions were rushing through his mind and he heard voices, familiar voices. With enormous effort he tried to concentrate, to focus on what was said. The mist in his mind from the recent dose of pain medication made it extremely difficult for him to string the words together to meaningful unities. While he still thought about the sense of the words, a machine came into his field of vision but left before he even realized his body had been slightly moved. Then he comprehended a certain phrase: 'medically induced coma'. It sounded like a death sentence; and maybe it was…

Beckett felt a tug on his right arm when something was injected into his IV. "He will fall asleep in a minute", a voice explained. It was much closer now, easier to understand. "You can stay here, all of you. I don't think I could make you leave anyway."

'One minute. One minute… for maybe the rest of his life. Would he ever wake up again? Would he make out the end at all? Would it make a difference? Or would it be the same as the relentless sleep, which already crept into his awareness?' He was defeated and terribly afraid, but worst of all, he didn't have any answers. With one last exertion, Carson forced his glassy, dilated eyes to focus on the world. They were all here, his closest friends, standing around his bed. At least he was not alone. Not alone like that night in the tent with Michael on some godforsaken planet. No, they were all here. He felt their reassuring hands giving him strength and a tiny anchor to reality to which he could cling. Before the pull at his consciousness became overwhelming and his vision blurred, he looked at each of them one last time, taking in their friendship and despair. Last of all, his eyes rested on Rodney, but after a second McKay was no longer able to hold his friend's gaze, the physicist looked away. When Rodney had composed himself and looked up once more, Beckett's bright blue eyes were already closed. The emotion almost tangible, the Scot could feel the wave of regret surging through Rodney, regret for failing his friend; again…

But Carson could no longer defy the tide that engulfed him mercilessly. The sounds and feelings became distant, unreal, then faded away. And his mind was lost in a sea of never-ending darkness…

To be continued…