The Price of Freedom – Part 13

The cool breeze ruffled his hair, not that he had so much to ruffle. Well, not as much as-. Rodney let his thoughts stop there as he positioned his paper plane and sent it soaring up into the air.

It didn't fly far before taking a dive into the sea. The sight of it sinking into the waves sent a small shudder through his frame, as memories of the time he'd crashed in the jumper came to mind. He'd been lucky, lucky to have friends that cared enough to risk their lives to rescue him. And now one of those friends was-?

Quickly blocking that thought, Rodney grabbed another sheet of paper and folded a second plane. He was preparing to launch it high into the air, when he heard the distinctive whoosh of the door opening. He didn't turn to see who it was.

"Rodney?" Questioned a soft feminine voice.

He launched the plane and turned to face his boss. "I ... I needed some fresh air."

Elizabeth nodded in understanding. "Yes." She moved to stand by his side. "Carson came and joined us just after you left."

Rodney turned back towards to sea as his heart started to hammer wildly. He really didn't want to hear this.

Elizabeth sensed his distress and lightly placed a hand on his arm. "John is still with us," she whispered. "He's holding on by the skin of his teeth but you know how darn stubborn he is."

Rodney swallowed hard with relief and nodded. "What's the prognosis?"

"Carson is optimistic. The operation went better than expected and he was able to stem the small haemorrhage quicker than he thought. He said that as John has survived this long, then … then maybe he'll pull through."

Rodney remained silent. He didn't seem convinced.

"Come on, Rodney, there was nothing more you could have done. I know you feel responsible but if you had gone against that tyrant and his guards, you wouldn't have stood a chance. Sirena has told me everything about that awful man and he certainly deserved what happened to him."

"Yes, I know but I should have worked quicker to get back to Atlantis."

"You know that wasn't possible. It's a miracle that you made it back at all." Elizabeth reminded him. "Anyway, getting away from that, Colonel Caldwell has suggested that we send a MALP through tomorrow to try and determine what the situation is like on Tandara. I agree with him as I think we owe it to the people you befriended and Sirena's fellow slaves to try and find out."

Rodney nodded. "Yes, and I'd like to be there when we do it because you'll need my expert help."

Elizabeth smiled, now that sounded a bit more like the Rodney McKay she knew so well.

-SGA-

A bright shaft of light streamed through the beautiful window, marking the beginning of a new day. Sirena smile at the wonderful sight and stretched her rested body before slipping out of bed. Putting on some comfortable slippers, she quietly tiptoed towards John's room so as not to wake the few other patients scattered around the infirmary.

This had been her daily routine for nearly a week now because the kindly doctors still hadn't released her from this place. They kept telling her that she still needed more rest and recuperation. Sirena was a little baffled by their insistence because she was feeling stronger and healthier than she had done for years.

Upon reaching her destination, she smiled lightly at the beautiful dark skinned woman sitting by John's bed. There was always one of them here. One of his team keeping a watch over the man they so obviously loved.

"How was his night?" Sirena enquired.

"Much improved," Teyla was able to report. "Dr. Cole thinks he may wakeup soon."

"Oh, that is good to hear," Sirena whispered before moving to brush away a stray stand of hair from John's brow. She noted that he wasn't so hot anymore and that his complexion was no longer so drawn and grey. The doctors had moved the dreadful breathing tube yesterday making him look more human again. He still had the strange little tube under his nose but they had explained that it was giving him extra rich air, which he apparently still needed.

Teyla smiled at the sight of the woman mothering John as she always did. She knew how much she had helped him and Teyla was grateful. "Now that you are here, I will leave you to watch over him for a few minutes while I go and fetch my morning tea. Would you like a cup?"

"I would love one. Thank you Teyla."

When Teyla went out of the room, Sirena settled into the warm seat that she had just vacated. Gently taking John's hand, she spoke to him softly even though he wouldn't hear her. "I told you were special. Your actions seemed to have caused quite a stir on Tandara. Killing Karakus has encouraged the good people to act against slavery. The lovely Dr. Weir told me yesterday that the slavers have fled in fear and that progress is being made to get rid of the slavery altogether. Dr. Weir has been in negotiations with several-." Sirena stopped because she thought she felt John's hand move under hers.

John slowly came awake and he vaguely wondered why he was still alive. The last thing he remembered was a dreadful feeling of helplessness and desperation as his body started its sickening downward plunge.

Now he felt strangely detached from his surroundings but the voice he heard was familiar. He struggled to put a name to it. Sirena eventually came to mind, the kindly slave who had befriended him. Did that mean that he was back in the fortress under her care again?

He attempted to move his right hand but it was being held by another. His other hand appeared to be immobile. That alarmed him, but he didn't have the strength or ability to worry about it right now, so he let himself drift back towards sleep.

A few minutes later, Teyla returned carrying two steaming cups of tea. "Here you are that should warm you up and give you strength for the day," she said as she placed one of the cups near the older woman. Sirena made to move out of the chair but Teyla shook her head and sat herself down on John's bed. "I know the staff do not like it but I will sit here while I have my tea."

Sirena looked at her and smiled. "I think he is not far from waking. I felt his hand move."

Teyla smiled. "That is good. Maybe I should go and find Dr. Beckett. He wanted to know the moment John showed any signs of coming around." Sirena nodded before turning her attention back to John.

Some minutes went by before Teyla returned with a smiling and cheerful Carson in tow. "Good morning, my dear, and how are ya feeling today?"

Sirena looked up at him and gulped back a sob; she had never been treated so kindly before. It was taking some getting used to. "I am fine thank you and I will feel even better when this young man finally comes back to us."

"Aye, I'll second that. Although between you and me, that young fella is not as young as he looks." Carson was just about to say that he was slightly younger than the colonel but he changed his mind, as it was unimportant. "Ok, let's see how close he is to waking." Carson announced. Then he produced the dreaded pen light and proceeded to peer into John's eyes. "Come on, son, it's time ya woke up."

John wanted to bat the irritatingly bright light away but his hand was still covered by another, so his only choice was to turn his head away. That didn't work for long as a hand gently forced his head back towards the light. It was followed by a voice that insisted that he open his eyes, so John decided to open them and then maybe the man would leave him in peace.

"That's good," Beckett called when John Sheppard opened his eyes for the first time in a week.

Teyla felt her eyes water as this was truly a sign that John would eventually get better. She smiled brightly as she looked down at him. "Welcome home, John," she murmured softly.

The pesky light was gone but those words left his mind very confused. If Sirena was here, why did he seem to be home? Suddenly, he realised that the voice had been Teyla's and before that Carson's. Therefore, he really was home.

They must have rescued him and Sirena too, which meant he wasn't a slave anymore. Was his suffering and torment really over? he questioned. The thought produced a sudden surge of unaccustomed emotion. He felt overwhelmed by it and tears formed in his eyes. John hadn't cried for years and the embarrassment made him want to wipe them away but he couldn't. Consequently, he turned his head and tried to bury his face in the pillow, hoping that they would leave him alone and go away. However, the comfort of the soft pillow and the wonderful realization that he was finally safe soon had him drifting back towards sleeps comforting embrace.

Teyla and Sirena looked at Carson for an explanation. "He's been through an awful lot, ladies, and he's bound to be emotionally very sensitive at the moment. Even the strongest of people would find it difficult to cope after such an ordeal, especially one so traumatic both physically and mentally. Let him sleep some more and I'm sure the next time he wakes up, he'll feel more like talking." Carson finished with those words, but in the back of his mind, he wasn't so sure how John was really going to cope. He could see Kate Heightmeyer in Sheppard's future but he could almost predict how well that would go down.

Both women nodded in agreement and although they were disappointed, they went back to drinking their tea.

Carson smiled as he went about checking the monitoring machines that were still attached to John. One good thing had come out of the whole ordeal; Teyla had found a friend in Sirena. Therefore, the Athosian was the ideal person to carry out Carson's request. "Teyla, love, I think it's time that Sirena had a bit of fresh air and some exercise, so after ya have finished your tea, maybe ya can find her something to wear. Then after breakfast how about showing her around the city for a while?"

Teyla readily agreed to Carson's suggestion but Sirena wasn't so sure. "What if John wakes up again?"

Carson found it difficult to hide a grin. "Oh, don't worry about that, my dear. I'm sure one of his team will be here and we'll let you know if that happens." She didn't seem certain but went along with it anyway because she was dying to see more of the wonderful city.

-SGA-

"I'm telling you, Carson, it really hurts, so why can't you give me something for it?" Rodney McKay's whiny voice echoed across the infirmary.

"And I'm telling ya that it's nothing more than a wee scratch, so stop being such a baby. Why don't you go and sit with the Colonel for a while."

"What! Oh, that's one way to take my mind off the pain! Go and watch, Mr. I don't want to wake up any time soon, while he sleeps his life away. Boring."

Carson sighed. "Now you know ya don't mean that. You were just as worried about him as the rest of us."

McKay looked slightly guilty. "Yes, I was, but now he's out of the woods why can't he just wake up and talk to me?"

"Rodney, ya know very well that it's not as simple as that. Until a few days ago, he was still at death's door. He's also a tad emotionally traumatised at the moment. That means it's going to take a little while until he's truly with us again."

"I know that, Carson. It's just-." Rodney sighed. "I just want him to know … to understand that I did my best to get him help. I just wish it had been quicker."

"Aye, but it all worked out in the end. The Colonel is still alive and your friends on Tandara are well on the way to abolishing slavery. I think you did pretty well, Rodney."

"Oh come on, I think we all know it was Sheppard killing that slave master or whatever that really got the ball rolling."

Carson started to steer Rodney towards John's room. "I have no doubt it did, but your contribution helped too."

"Yes, I like to think so, but it still doesn't change the fact that Sheppard had to do most of the work."

"Aye, but I still insist that ya did very well and your input was also important."

John could hear Rodney and Carson even before they arrived by his bedside. It was good to know that Rodney was safe. Maybe he should attempt to open his eyes and tell him. So, he forced away the drowsiness and lifted his heavy eyelids.

"Well, if you insist. However, I will admit to feeling a little-." Rodney suddenly stopped when Carson tapped his arm to draw his attention to the bed. However, seeing Sheppard awake, Rodney suddenly lost his nerve and made to make a run for it.

Carson sensed it and gave Rodney a warning look before smiling down at his patient. "It's good to see you awake, son. Can ya try to talk for me?"

John blinked up at his Scottish friend before clearing his dry and aching throat. "Water?"

"Aye that I can do. I'll just raise the bed a little and then I'll get you some."

However before Carson could react, Rodney rushed off. He returned a few minutes later with a glass of water and a straw. Carson had already raised the bed, so Rodney quickly passed the glass to him. After thanking him, Carson eased the straw between John's cracked lips.

To John it felt like heaven as the fresh tasting water slipped down his raw throat to quench the thirst that seemed to have been his companion for weeks now. But before he could overdo it, Carson withdrew the straw. "That's enough for now. Are ya in any pain?"

John took a moment to assess how he was feeling. "No, not really. Got me on the good stuff, huh?"

Carson smiled. "Aye, ya need them. You're doing very well and we'll talk about your injuries when you're feeling a little stronger. For now, I'll leave Rodney to talk to ya as I have other patients to attend to." Then turning to leave, Carson warned McKay. "Keep it short and if he goes back to sleep, let him."

"Oh, as if I could wake him up if he did. Hallo, we're talking about sleeping beauty here or have you forgotten." Carson didn't react, so Rodney turned his attention back to John. "Hi," he said with a little wave. "Good to see you looking better."

John cleared his throat and forced back a tear. He certainly didn't want to cry in front of Rodney "I didn't expect to live."

Rodney winced and pulled up a chair to sit himself down by John's bed. "Yes, it was quite a way to fall. Luckily, you bounced off something soft," Rodney chuckled lightly, "We think it could have been that hideous Karakus person. Anyway, you then landed in a sand bank, which cushioned-."

John interrupted him looking very confused. "Really? I don't remember anything after I started to fall." He paused for a moment to get his emotions back in check. "Tell me … you didn't have to work as a slave did you?"

"Oh, no. No, thankfully I didn't." That was the opening that Rodney needed and he began to explain everything that had happened to him, in great detail.

John tried to stay awake but he drifted around the time Rodney was explaining his successful escape. McKay didn't notice at first but when he did and knowing that Sheppard wouldn't hear him, he whispered. "I'm glad you survived - John. Otherwise life would have been very boring."

tbc